Residents in Los Angeles on Saturday voiced their profound concerns over the escalating U.S.-Israeli war on Iran, highlighting both the immediate economic repercussions and deeper moral objections to the conflict.
Rallies against the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran swept numerous cities across the world over the weekend, with an estimated 8 million people turning out for over 3,300 protest events.
In the United States alone, thousands of demonstrations were held Saturday in major U.S. cities, including Washington, New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco, and involved over 900,000 people, making it the largest single-day protest on record.
Among Los Angeles residents, economic anxieties are a central theme among those who are expressing concern.
"It's literally insane. Gas went up, at the very beginning, a dollar within a couple days, if not a day. That's an insane jump that we haven't seen since the energy crisis in the 1970s," said Alyssa, a protester who joined demonstrations against the war.
"It's not just gas prices, it's transportation of goods. So all prices are gonna go up," said Jeremy, a resident of the city.
"Gas is definitely a lot higher now. I've had to adapt my behavior and so I'm driving less and I think it's still affecting me in the wallet," said David, another resident.
Some articulated a belief that the war is poised to inflict significant financial burdens on ordinary citizens while lacking a clear strategic objective.
"I'm not okay with this costing us an extra couple of hundred bucks, personally. Once again, this is a war that nobody wanted. This is a war that gets us nothing, except for enriching the very few," said Alyssa.
"I wouldn't be fine if the conflicts cost me more every month. I wouldn't be fine if the conflict saved me money. I still wouldn't be fine with it," said Jeremy.
"I'm not okay with it. I'm not okay with this war going on at all. It shouldn't be costing us anything," said Los Angeles resident Lucy.
"I'm not fine with it. I feel like they should be giving me money. Why should I pay for something that I didn't participate in?" said Nate, another resident.
The long-term implications and strategic failures of the conflict also weighed heavily on the residents' minds.
"This is an incredibly scary proposition, like not only is this going to just continue to skyrocket the cost of living, but this is also a conflict where there was no strategy. There was no off ramp. It's something that is bad for everybody, not just the U.S., not just for Iran, but for the whole world. And nothing good will come from it. It's truly evil at its basic core, at the expense of millions, for the very few at the very top," Alyssa said.
"What worries me the most if the conflict continues is civil war. Civil war, or our dear boys' boots on the ground in Iran, more basic genocide, because that's basically what it is," said a resident who did not give her name.
"Internationally, I think we have to first think about how we can mitigate harm. We should not be harming other countries. And I don't feel like the reasons given for why we're there really match reality," said David.
Americans worry about soaring prices amid US military operation against Iran
