The Berkeley City Council passed a resolution calling for the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan at Tuesday night’s meeting.

The resolution received considerable support from Berkeley residents and members of anti-war protest group Code Pink who held up signs saying “Stop Killing Americans Abroad,” while speakers in favor of the resolution came to the podium.

The resolution was passed by all council members except for one, Gordon Wozniak, who abstained.

While most citizens were rushing to the post office to file their taxes on time, members of Code Pink spent the afternoon voicing their opposition to tax money used to fund the war in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Code Pink still protests in front of the Marine Recruitment Center in Downtown Berkeley practically every Wednesday, but the group held a special Tax Day Protest yesterday (video after the jump): (Click here to read more…)

The vote by City Councilmember Kriss Worthington to send an apology to the Marine Corps Feb. 12 surprised Berkeley residents because of its unusually moderate stance.

After several hours of public comment from anti-military and pro-military sides, the Berkeley City Council’s 7-2 vote  clarified their support and respect for military service members but did not include an apology to be sent to the Marine Corps.

Pro-military protesters called for an apology in regards to a letter that was passed Jan. 29 which described the recruiters as “uninvited and unwelcome intruders.” This language elicited nationwide response as council members received more than 20,000 e-mails and phone calls in the last two weeks.

(Click here to read more…)