Dec. 28, 1978: 45 years ago, Dec 28 1978, over 2,000 marched through downtown San [...]

45 years ago, Dec 28 1978, over 2,000 marched through downtown San Francisco, carrying an effigy of the shah to the Iranian consulate. The anti-shah protest was led by the Iranian Students Association, which was holding their 26th annual convention at the Oakland Civic Auditorium

Some cars got smashed on route to the consulate, where the effigy was burned. “Death to the Shah” and “U.S. keep your bloody hands off Iran” echoed in the streets. One girl interviewed said she wanted the shah “in little pieces.” The march concluded the convention in Oakland.

The convention had brought over 800 students to Oakland from across the country, where they met, ate, and slept inside the Oakland Auditorium for 5 days. Focused on the nascent revolution in Iran, the convention’s goal was to plan student opposition to the shah within the U.S.