TEMPO.CO, Washington, D.C - Protesters' red-stained hands waved sporadically for hours yesterday behind Obama administration officials urging lawmakers to authorize military strikes against Syria.
The silent protest, led by an anti-war organization Code Pink, involved 10 activists. However an untold number of people worldwide witnessed it for the protest took place during a televised congressional hearing.
The demonstrators said the red color represents the blood that would be in the Secretary of State John Kerry's hands if the Congress approves the military attack.
"John Kerry - diplomacy, not war," read a sign held by Medea Benjamin, a co-founder of Code Pink, which was formed a decade ago to oppose the U.S. invasion of Iraq.
Kerry made a reference to the protesters during his presentation to the House of Representatives.
"When I walked into this room," he said, "a person of conscience stood up behind me, as is the ability of people in our country, and that person said: 'Please, don't take us to war. Don't take us to another war.' Let me be clear. We are not asking America to go on war," said Kerry, who has promised that the targeted U.S. air strikes would involve no U.S. ground troops.
"When you lob missiles to another country, that is war,'" said Benjamin, who along with other demonstrators, sat a few rows behind Kerry and other members of the administration.
Reuters | Abdul Manan
