US strikes Iran: Milwaukee protesters call for peace

Name: US strikes Iran, protesters call for peace
Uploaded: 2026-02-28T18:56:51-06:00
Description: The U.S. and Israel conducted military strikes across Iran, prompting protests in downtown Milwaukee on Saturday.

US strikes Iran, protesters call for peace

The U.S. and Israel conducted military strikes across Iran, prompting protests in downtown Milwaukee on Saturday.

MILWAUKEE - The U.S. and Israel conducted military strikes across Iran, prompting protests in downtown Milwaukee and reaction both locally around the world on Saturday.

Protests in Milwaukee

What they're saying:

The Party for Socialism and Liberation organized a protest, and dozens of people took to Cathedral Square with strong messages calling for peace in Iran.

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"We are against illegal imperialist wars that our current government is doing. The people of Iran – the people of the world – have a right to have the country as they were, and they have a right to live in peace and not fear," said the party's Joshua Taylol. "The United States has no right to attack other countries unprovoked."

Protesters at Cathedral Square respond to U.S. strikes in Iran.

"We understand the situation in Iran was reaching a boiling point, that sporadic Donald Trump administration was probably going to do something erratic, like bomb Iran preemptively at the behest of Israel," said demonstrator Joseph Hamilton. "It wasn't surprising, but it was still distressing."

The Milwaukee Anti-War Committee organized what it called an emergency protest at Zeidler Union Square. Protesters said the strikes were unnecessary, and they don't want to see war or innocent people killed.

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"We believe in Iranian sovereignty for themselves, that they get to be the ones to decide their own destinies," said Sara Onitsuka, the committee's chair. "The U.S. should not be going in."

"Extreme sadness. It just – I can't imagine how those families feel, and that we are part of this," said Jessica Foster. "War is never the answer, it never should be the answer, but especially a war that is based on nothing. There's been no reason given for this war. There's no reason for us to be there."

Protesters at Zeidler Union Square respond to U.S. strikes in Iran.

Trump administration's stance

The other side:

The action came after weeks of warning from the U.S. about Iran's nuclear weapons program and clashes between protesters and the country’s government.

President Donald Trump had threatened action if Tehran did not negotiate a deal to constrain its nuclear program. Meanwhile, he ordered the largest military buildup in the Middle East in decades. Both sides signaled they were prepared for war if the talks on Tehran’s nuclear program failed.

Trump said in a video posted on his Truth social media account that the U.S. had begun "major combat operations in Iran." He claimed Iran has continued to develop its nuclear weapons program and plans to develop missiles to reach the U.S. and appealed to the Iranian people to "take over your government — it will be yours to take."

Iran insists its nuclear program is peaceful, the U.S. and others suspect it is aimed at eventually developing weapons. Iran says it hasn’t been enriching uranium since U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iranian nuclear sites in June.