Hundreds of drivers honked their horns driving past the corner of Broadway and Providence Friday afternoon as a Peaceworks activist held a sign up that said, “Honk for Peace”.
About 25 people gathered to peacefully demonstrate against President Trump’s Tomahawk missile attack on a Syrian airbase Thursday.
Peaceworks is a non-profit organization that advocates for a peaceful community and opposes some military actions by the United States government.
Demonstrators held signs on every corner of the intersection. The signs encouraged peace and love with sayings such as, “No To War In Syria,” and, “End The Endless War”.
Peaceworks member Joan Wilcox said she will never stop campaigning for a safe world.
“It does not make any sense to me that the way to make the world safe is to kill more people. So I’m going to do what I do until I can’t do it anymore because it just doesn’t make sense,” Wilcox said.
Organizer of the demonstration Mark Haim said the attack was needless and unjust.
“The US attack on Syria was uncalled for. It’s illegal due to international law, and it’s based on the notion that the United States has the right because we have the money, and that’s just plain wrong,” Haim said.
Citizen Pat Holt served in the Marine Corps. Since then, she said war does not solve anything. Holt has been devoting her life to peace since she moved to Columbia about 10 years ago.
“You can’t give up. Someday we will have peace again. Too many young people have died,” Holt said.
Members of Peaceworks stand on the corner of Broadway and Providence every Wednesday from 4:30-5:30 p.m. to promote peace.