Rally organizers pegged the crowd at nearly 10,000 people by the time it funneled into the sun-drenched plaza in front of city hall, across the bay from San Francisco.

"Rest assured, there are millions of us in America standing up to George Bush, the Republican Party, and all they represent," legendary crooner and veteran civil rights activist Harry Belafonte told the crowd.

"We are sick and tired of our leaders compromising on the murder of our sons and daughters on foreign soil to protect the interests of a few sick, powerful people in this country," he said.

America should get its troops out of South America, Asia, and the Middle East and eliminate war as an option in international relations, Belafonte stressed.

"The terror we need to fight is the terror of poverty, ignorance, and oppression," he argued, adding that the largest stockpile of weapons of mass destruction was here in the United States.

A seemingly endless river of protesters flowed from a local park to the plaza.

Police that cordoned off the route estimated the crowd at more than 5,000.

"It's actually been really nice," commented one officer as the throng strolled past.

A few blocks from the park, a pack of students from the California State University, Berkeley, merged with the massive group at noon.

"All of us need to hunker down," said student organizer Derek Wright. "We have a war to stop."

Venders sold snacks, silver jewelry, along with Malcolm-X books, peace T-shirts, anti-war pins, and more.

"I think this group of people are the most patriotic," Betty Price of San Francisco said while selling George Bush voodoo dolls from the City Hall steps. "We are here trying to save lives, not send people to die."

A recurring theme at the demonstration was worry that Iran and Syria could be next in the sights of the US-led coalition.

Ensieh Hosaini, a 40-year-old Iranian now living in Berkeley, was among those motorists stuck waiting for the protest march to pass.

"I support them," Hosaini said. "We could spend this money taking care of Iraqi children with love and peace to show them we are on their side. With war, you don't solve problems, you just make more trouble."

Democratic Congresswoman Barbara Lee said education, economics, housing, health care and other social issues were more vital to national security than bombing Iraq.

"We need to keep marching and speaking out," Lee told a cheering crowd. "For the security of our world, we must take back the House of Representatives, the Senate and the White House on behalf of the people of the United States."

Her words drew chants of "Impeach Bush."

SPACE.WIRE