Reno locals gathered at City Plaza Thursday for a #NoWarWithIran protest, part of a nationwide movement. The crowd, hovering in just below 100 individuals, held signs, chanted and listen to speakers talk about the escalating conflict between Iran and the U.S.
In between speakers the crowd would chant “War is not the answer” or “No war with Iran.”
“Tired of the traitor in the White House” is how Vietnam War helicopter pilot veteran Clint Holeman described himself and his actively-serving son. “War is not a tweet. It is a horror,” he said, sharing with the audience that he knows what it is like to be the “pointy end of the stick” after serving two tours in Vietnam.
Alex Goff, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran was stationed at the U.S. Ein al-Assad Air Base in Iraq 10 years ago, the same base struck by Iranian missiles this week. “Men and women, Americans, Iraqis, still have to face attacks like that.”
Goff expressed anger at Trump’s pulling out of the Iran nuclear deal for what he sees as political motivations and criticized Rep. Mark Amodei for voting against the war powers resolution passed by the House on 224-194.
While cold temperatures were biting, the majority of attendees stayed for the entire event and beyond, discussing the upcoming women’s march and other politics.
The gathering was not without some minor hecklers and detractors, but no confrontations resulted.
Note: News that Iran was suspected of shooting down the Ukrainian jetliner earlier in the week had just broken before the protest started and was not discussed.
