Allison Crow (Left) and Ashley Towne (Right) hold up an anti-war banner for the march that took place on Oct. 17. Chad Sexton / The Lumberjack

Protestors gathered on Saturday to march for peace and call for an end to the wars in Afghanistan, Iraq and all other countries. The rally was part of a National Day of Action, joining several other cities across the country — including Minneapolis, Philadelphia and San Francisco — that also held large demonstrations.

The anti-war protest began at the amphitheater outside the Student Union where students and local activists held signs and banners, some that read “U.S. out of Afghanistan” and “End the occupation.”

A week earlier, NAU’s Peace and Justice club held a die-in demonstration where students laid down, posing as corpses wearing orange jumpsuits in the hall of the Student Union to mark the eighth anniversary of the war in Afghanistan. Fliers were distributed at the die-in to attract students to the march.

About 25 marchers took part in the event. Participants sat in the amphitheater while a shopping cart-turned makeshift tank played John Lennon’s “Power to the People.”

Russell Crawford, a volunteer with Peace and Justice, spoke to the group before the march began.

“Today is a national day of action,” Crawford said. “Across the U.S., communities are speaking out against the war in Afghanistan as well as in Iraq. We’re showing Flagstaff we opposed the war in 2001 and continue to oppose the war in 2009.”

The march began at the pedway, with the tank playing music from a sound system among chants of “U.S. out of Afghanistan! End all wars!”

As the march reached San Francisco Street, the protestors held their banners to the road. Several cars honked their horns or yelled as they drove past while the group recited in unison, “They’re our brothers! They’re our sisters! We support war resistors!”

After marchers left campus and passed Franklin Street, a police officer pulled over to the side of the march and picked out one student who was holding a megaphone.

“You can’t have amplification without a permit,” said the officer. When the protesters explained they were demonstrating their right to free speech, the officer responded, “I’m trying to keep you guys from getting in trouble. You can’t have amplification without a permit.”

Flagstaff’s city noise ordinance code 6-08 restricts noise between the hours of 1 a.m. and 7 a.m. The officer warned the marchers around 3:30 p.m.

Many people walking or eating downtown took pictures of the marchers with their cell phones. One couple had a camcorder and taped the scene.

The march went through Heritage Square, and within the hour reached City Hall. One protester led the chants, asking the group, “What do we want?” The other protesters responded, “Justice!” and he asked them, “When do we want it?” to which the group answered, “Now!”

Once at City Hall, the protesters joined the Women in Black on the lawn facing Route 66.

The Women in Black meet every Saturday on the City Hall lawn to have a silent protest against violence in the world.

Kali Kaliche was one of the women holding a banner for Women in Black.

War protesters hold up signs as they walk along San Francisco Street. The protest march began at the University Union and ended at Flagstaff City Hall. Chad Sexton / The Lumberjack

“We live in a country where we tend to think war is like a football game,” Kaliche said. “When in fact, war is a failure of diplomacy.”

Klee Benally, a local activist who led many of the chants, said he was drawn to the rally from seeing a flier.

“[The protest] is one continuation of many actions people have taken to have a more healthy community,” Benally said. “People come out in many forms to show that they want a peaceful community.”

People from many locations and backgrounds attended the protest.

“We don’t have much stuff like this,” said Sarah Ghasedi of Scottsdale. “It’s nice to see people doing something.”

Across the lawn, Flagstaff police, including the officer who silenced the megaphone earlier, kept watch on the protest from the City Hall parking lot.

“We’re just making sure they have their right to protest and making sure nobody gives them problems,” said the officer, who wished to remain anonymous.

Afterward, Don Fanning, a local activist who was standing with the Women in Black at the rally, voiced the need for people to keep coming out.

“The most enduring way change occurs is through the good acts of people,” Fanning said. “Peace is a process that seeks resolution. War is a process that seeks winning.”

War protesters hold up their anti-war signs as they march along north campus on Saturday. The march began at the University Union and ended at Flagstaff City Hall. Chad Sexton / The Lumberjack