‘We don’t need an Iran War’: Protestors in Schenley condemn U.S. strikes on Iran

Protestors condemned the recent joint U.S. and Israel military strikes on Iran, gathering in Schenley Plaza on Saturday evening to call for a cessation of violence.

About 40 people filled Schenley Plaza to protest Saturday’s strikes on Iran, holding signs reading, “Hands off Iran” and chanting, “We don’t need an Iran War.” Organized by the Pittsburgh branch of the Party for Socialism and Liberation, the group spoke out against the violence and advocated for a reallocation of military spending to social services.

The U.S. and Israel jointly bombed Iran on Saturday, with President Donald Trump’s stated motive being to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon. Iran retaliated by firing ballistic missiles at Israel and U.S. military bases in the region. 

More than 200 Iranians have been killed during the conflict, according to the Iranian Red Crescent Society, in addition to nine Israelis and three American service members. Significantly, the former Supreme leader of Iran Ali Khamenei was also killed in an attack. 

June Querques, an organizer with PSL, said they organized the event in order to stand against the strikes in Iran and call for an immediate end to the conflict.

“People are against this war. People do not want another forever war in the Middle East,” Querques said.

Querques expressed concern that Trump did not seek authorization from Congress before ordering the strikes, alleging them to be illegal under U.S. constitutional law and international law. Querques also said they believe the strikes were not necessary because of the previous negotiations with Iran.

“They were negotiating with Iran for a nuclear deal. The Omani foreign minister said that a lot of progress is being made,” Querques said. 

Paul Dordal, a member of Veterans for Peace and Penn Hills resident, told The Pitt News his experience in the Iraq war has influenced the way he views the strikes.

“I went to Iraq in 2009 and got a first-hand look at what it’s like to be at war, and I really got sick to see what we actually did over there,” Dordal said. “Ever since then I realized that we’re not the good guys anymore. We are doing things that are against international law, against the will of the people.”

Dordal served as an army chaplain for the 336th Military Police Brigade located in Pittsburgh, and in Iraq he trained Iraqi police to “defend their own homelands.” During that war, Dordal said, the high death toll of Iraqis and what he believes to be the U.S.’ questionable motives has shaped his perception of war in the Middle East.

“The president of the United States said he was going to end endless wars, and here we are, back to endless wars again,” Dordal said. “Veterans are tired, Americans are tired and we don’t want war.”

Dordal said he believes Iranians have responsibility for their own country, similar to how he showed up to the protest to voice his opinion on his own country’s actions. Thinking the U.S. would continue diplomacy with Iran, Dordal said he was disappointed to learn about the strikes. 

“I’m ashamed of our country as a veteran,” Dordal said. “We don’t bring freedom to anybody.”

Taylor Goel, an organizer for ANSWER Coalition, told the crowd he believes the goal of the strikes has long been to target Iran’s regime.

“The goal has always been regime change — always,” Goel said. “Iran has been on their list for decades, long before any of these excuses were involved. The U.S. has surrounded Iran with military bases to dominate the region, steal its resources, and who pays the price? We do.”

At least 115 people, according to Iranian state media, were killed in a strike on an elementary school in Minab on Saturday. Tal Newman, a junior English writing major at Pitt, said she stands in solidarity with the students who were killed in the strikes, and that her “heart goes out to them.” 

“What role did they have to play in the war? No death is acceptable, but especially not people who are just trying to learn, like we’re doing here,” Newman said.

Sophia Zove, an organizer for PSL, said they were disappointed with Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer and house minority leader Hakeem Jeffries for saying the strikes should have had congressional approval rather than outright condemning the attack and demanding no war in Iran. Zove added they believe Congress would have approved the attack anyway, as it has previously for intervening in the Middle East.

“I ask you what difference would it have made to those children in Minab if this attack had been voted on by Congress — something that the history of U.S. interventions in the Middle East over the past few decades tell us they almost certainly would have done,” Zove said.

Zove criticized U.S. Senator John Fetterman (D-PA) for calling the strikes “right and necessary” to maintain peace in the Middle East.

“How can starting a new unprovoked war bring peace and why is it that Fetterman talks so much about supporting Israel and attacking Iran and so little about meeting the needs of his own constituents here in Pittsburgh?” Zove said.

Zove further condemned the idea that the strikes were necessary to bring peace, citing the fact that the U.S. is the only country to have used a nuclear weapon in war and does not have a no first-use policy.

“Who is the real threat to global security here?” Zove asked.

Zove also criticized Trump’s $1.5 trillion defense budget for 2027. 

“This is while hundreds of thousands of Americans are homeless, our infrastructure is crumbling and healthcare and housing are only becoming more expensive and inaccessible,” Zove said. “Imagine what that money could do to actually address the problems that we are facing here rather than to terrorize people thousands of miles away.”

Querques said they believe the money used to pursue the strikes could have been used to fund public education and city infrastructure.

“All of these things, if we put money towards people’s needs instead of the war machine, those needs can be met,” Querques said.

Kasey Brown, an organizer for PSL, emphasized what they believe to be the high amount of money used for military spending in their speech.

“Hundreds of billions of dollars are going to the Pentagon. Imagine what that could do to a school that is crumbling, like the countless high schools here in Pittsburgh,” Brown said.

Goel said he believes the money for the strikes should be spent on building more housing, and funding public education and health care. 

“We spend a trillion dollars a year on war, while we struggle to pay rent, see a doctor, send our kids to school and survive,” Goel said.