At least 13 schools participated in Walk Outs against War in Orange County including:

El Modena High School,

Estancia High School,

Loara High School,

Dana Hills High School

Newport Harbor High School

Fullerton High School,

Orange Coast College,

Saddleback College,

Santa Ana College,

Chapman University,

Soka University,

Cal State Fullerton,

UCI

Students, teachers, and proffesors in a show of solidarity and supported walked out of classes in protest against a war with Iraq. Later on at 1:00 PM many students, local activists, parents, teachers, proffesors, and community residents converged on to the Ronald Regan Federal Building located on 4th Street in the middle of Santa Ana.

They staged a protest in the middle of the day right in front of the federal building (where police had also put barricades and riot gear cops every around corner) Media teams were asked to stay behind police barricades "in case there are any problems, we don't want media cameras or equipment to be damaged" said officer Niento of Santa Ana PD when asked by a protestor why media could not come near the protesters.

Even with the ever present police harrassment the protest went on, WITHOUT any permits, or microphones, but instead with signs, banners, and megaphones protestors started a march around the block of the federal building using their voices and dances on the street to bring the afternoon crowd in the middle of Santa Ana to their feet.

After the march, there was an "open-mic" session on the megaphone, speakers from all different walks of life talked about the many reasons they are against war. Students wrote anti-war slogans and pictures in chalk, but were eventually stopped by federal officers who told them that they needed to clean all of the chalk from the sidewalks and walls of the federal building. Students instead just decided to disperese since it was already 3 PM (the time the protest was supposed to end) Police tried to stop people and make them clean the chalk, but protestors just walked away peacefully, refusing to clean up what some had written.

These protestors are very new to Orange County. Most residents here are not used to seeing things like this. But the anti-war movement is growing around these parts. With weekly vigils being held all over the county (see http://www.ocpeace.org) many people are coming out in support, and are showing up in amazing numbers. The past 2 large anti-war protest drew between 1,200-2,500 people ( a HUGE number for this coservative area)

we are very happy with the ever growing movement, and look to helping put on a lot more anti-war and anti-globalization events.

todays event was put on by the Orange County Peace Coalition, Orange County Revolutionary Collective and Orange County Students Against War Alliance