CLEVELAND — Chants of "no more war" rang out across Market Square Wednesday night as dozens gathered to protest the war in Iran.
Dallas Eckman, one of the organizers of the protest, said gatherings such as these are important to spreading awareness.
"It's our job to be showing up in the streets to say that when anyone, no matter their position of power, issues a statement of such violent aggression against the people, that we need to stand up and say that's not what we are going to be about, and that working people are going to demand a better future for us and the people of Iran," Eckman said.
Especially as President Donald Trump made a threat to annihilate a "whole civilization" if Iran didn't make peace on Tuesday, Eckman said he knew he had to make his voice heard.
"Our president is completely unaccountable to the American people," Eckman said.
According to ABC News, President Trump has called for a two-week ceasefire, requiring Iran to reopen the vital passage for trade and oil to international shipping before talks of peace and compromise can begin.
However, ABC News reports accusations of Israel violating the ceasefire by launching a major attack on Lebanon.
The continuous war has left Iranian-Americans such as Nima Homami frustrated, even more so because he has family in the Middle East.
"I have been able to stay in touch. I mean, it's kind of hard, obviously with the internet situation over there. They've been able to call us, so we've been like checking up on them, but yeah, I mean, the bombs are a constant. So far everyone has been safe," Homami said. "What is happening right now is not just a war against the government. This is a war that's targeting schools, hospitals. There are bombings that are happening every day. I mean, up until the ceasefire, but who knows how long the ceasefire will last."
Homami told me his family has watched nearby apartment complexes reduced to rubble.
"There's also just a justifiable fear about how far this will go because right now they're bombing civilian areas, but like, I mean, who knows how much worse it's gonna get? They're talking about bombing like power plants, right? They're talking about bombing cultural sites," he said.
News 5 talked with Congressman Dave Joyce (R-OH) on Tuesday about his thoughts on the war.
He told us, "Look, you know, for 47 years they've exacerbated the situation in the Middle East. They've wreaked havoc in every country and spread terrorism beyond their own borders, and so eventually they needed to be stopped. We're going to do what's necessary to finally put this cancer to rest."
Homami said, "I would say 99% of Iranians are appalled by statements like that. Yeah, and Americans should be appalled, too. I mean, they're fighting this war in our name. I don't know how Americans can be okay with that."
Homami said it does bring him hope, though, as protests like on Wednesday persist.
"There's opposition within the United States to what is happening. I think it's very important for the American people to see that and I think it's also important too for people in Iran to see that as well because I think it does give them a lot of hope knowing that there are Americans who are standing up to this war mongering government that we have here in the U.S.," Homami said.
The protests will continue here in Cleveland, according to Eckman, as he said there is a push for a nationwide shutdown — no school, no work, and no shopping come May 1.
"If you will not listen to the American people and our will to end this war, the war on Venezuela, the blockade on Cuba, the complete violence, aggression that he promised, if he said that he was going to end these endless wars, then mean it, and we're going to force him on May 1 by shutting this country down," Eckman said.
Eckman said he has faith that change will soon come.
"Things will change across the world. I always have hope because working people fight back wherever there's repression anywhere in this country throughout history, space and time. People have fought back against repressive regimes everywhere, and the Trump administration is no different," Eckman said.
