By Tim Seyfert

Nearly 30 anti-war demonstrators crowded the steps of Mountain View City Hall last week to protest the U.S. attacks on Iraq, in one of several recent local stands against the war.

The March 20 gathering, made up of both Mountain View and Los Altos residents, was one of the latest in a recent surge of local demonstrations, showing that strong anti-war sentiment isn’t just resonating from the larger Bay Area cities.

Though considered low-key by San Francisco standards, the suburban rally came on the heels of three previous local gatherings in Mountain View and Palo Alto. One protest at Palo Alto’s City Hall Plaza last month drew nearly 5,000 demonstrators.

The participants in last week’s Mountain View rally hoped to keep the momentum going.

“We want to show that it isn’t just the big cities taking a stand,” Mountain View resident Tammy Qualls said while handing out leaflets. “You expect people in San Francisco to protest, but not people in a little town like this one. We want to be heard too.”

Despite the low turnout, the three-hour event on Castro Street drew plenty of attention. While hoisting signs showing peace symbols and slogans such as “Drop Bush, not bombs,” the demonstrators, mostly in their 20s, received a fair mix of support and disapproval from passersby.

Many commuters honked encouragement at the group, who replied with enthusiastic waves and cheers. Yet, others weren’t so quick to break out the flower power and peace signs. One car slowed down long enough to yell, “Support the troops or get out!” Another shouted a profanity and gave the demonstrators a look at his finger.

The group perked up when Mountain View City Councilman Matt Neely dropped by to offer a few words of encouragement. Neely is presently the only council member in the city who has publicly expressed an opposition toward the war.

Whatever a person’s stance on the issue, the recent protests have, no doubt, brought about a political ferocity rarely seen within the Los Altos/Mountain View community. With San Francisco and the East Bay typically garnering the spotlight when it comes to national affairs, many local demonstrators are hoping to bring a louder political voice to the South Bay during the Iraq conflict, according to the Mountain View demonstrators.

“It’s great to see people expressing their beliefs and frustrations,” Los Altos resident Josh Hammel said, referring to his participation in the Palo Alto protest last month. “It isn’t necessary to get violent, but if it’s possible to share our views peacefully, it promotes awareness and understanding.”

“Silence isn’t going to do anything,” Mountain View resident and fellow Palo Alto protester Tom Kroger added. “The more we sit on our butts, the more damage gets done. We all got to do our part.”