Crowd size at San Fran. war protest way less than reported

[southerngale]

The media was happy to report the original estimates. Funny though I haven't seen a correction.

SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 21 (UPI) -- A newspaper's aerial survey of last weekend's massive anti-war rally in San Francisco determined Friday that the size of the crowd was less than half of what police and protest organizers had originally estimated.

The San Francisco Chronicle said high-resolution aerial photographs commissioned by the newspaper showed that around 65,000 people took part in last Sunday's march through downtown rather than the 200,000 announced originally.

Media reports in the aftermath of last weekend's marches around the world declared that the large crowds at the anti-war rallies indicated tangible opposition to a war in Iraq.

Rally organizers disputed the Chronicle's findings as did police officials.

"I can tell you for a fact that's an enormously low number," declared Deputy Police Chief Greg Suhr, who commanded the officers assigned to the march.

Suhr said that the 200,000 figure was his personal estimate and that no one else in the SFPD had been assigned to count heads. He said, however, that the crowd was much larger than those seen during baseball games at Pacific Bell Park, which is often filled to capacity.

"(Pacific Bell Park), just in the stands, holds 40,000," Suhr said. "The crowd at Pac Bell would pale in comparison to the crowd on Sunday."

Bill Hackwell, a spokesman for the anti-war group International ANSWER, called the Chronicle's figure "ridiculous."

The Chronicle said Friday that its estimate was based on photos taken at the time the crowd at Civic Center Plaza was at its height, and they checked their numbers against ridership figures from rapid transit systems serving downtown.

The Bay Area Rapid Transit System determined that 66,250 exited at the four downtown stations closest to the rally on Sunday between 8 a.m. and midnight, around 43,000 more than the number of downtown passengers last Sunday.

The Muni bus system and the Larkspur ferry from Marin County also reported higher ridership, the newspaper said.

[coriolis]

Yeah, I'm not surprised. And of that number how many are really committed to the cause. I posted the breakdown below previously, but it was at the end of a discussion and some may have missed it.

Here's my breakdown of the protestors

20% just want to jump on the bandwagon, they're bored and are looking for excitement

45% want to relive the 1960's. They were too young to be a part of anything that happened in the 1960's but saw all the Woodstock and Arlo Guthrie movies, the pictures of college students putting flowers into guns, etc, etc, and sorely feel that they missed out. They want their moment of glory. The will march and wave signs, and then drive home in their BMW's and Altima's.

10% are genuine "old heads" who been there and done that and want to do it again. They are here to party.

10% honestly and genuinely feel that war is wrong and peace is right.

10% are activist, flaming liberals who, while supporting america, will do anything to oppose bush.

5% are commited anti-americans who are intent on overthrowing our society.

[Derek Ortt]

About this? Because the media is nothing but the liberal mouthpiece.

It would be nice to have a gov't media outlet along with the independent outlets so that we can make our own decesions regarding whether or not the government is popular, not whether or not the Gore supporters are still upset that they were caught trying to steal the election

[Guest]

Gee, whiz....they gave a protest and nobody came?

Why don't they protest something worthwhile, like the need to totally revamp the "dead"-ucation system, or MORE PEOPLE FOOD FOR ANNABELLE (she be a ho')?