An Inauguration Day rally outside Seattle Central Community College draws mostly a police escort. We were bicycling back up Pine Street around lunchtime when we saw about 30 Seattle police officers on bikes, lined up outside Walgreen's. Then we saw the motorcycle police, the mounted police, the van, the cruisers. At first we thought it must be a police funeral, but then we noticed people with signs and megaphones in the plaza in front of Seattle Central Community College. Admittedly, after seeing the crowd on the Mall this morning we're hard to impress, but we're fairly certain there were more police at the rally than actual rally members. Though perhaps we're making a false distinction; there's nothing to say that the police might not be in favor of the following issues that the rally leaders want to bring to the newly inaugurated president's attention:
End the Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan
Defend Gay Marriage — Repeal the Defense of Marriage Act
Support the Employee Free Choice Act
Money for Education, Healthcare, Housing, and Jobs - Not for Jails and War
End the Budget Cuts and School Closures
End the Attacks on Immigrants Arabs and Muslims. Stop the I.C.E. Raids and Deportations
End US Support for Israel’s War on the Palestinians
If you've got a mind to add anything to the list, we bet you can. Get down to Westlake Plaza for the "City-Wide Inauguration Day Celebration and Rally" that's supposed to last until 4 p.m.
