The protest is scheduled to begin at the State Capitol at noon. (Photo of Tehran by Nahid V on Flickr.)

The Madison branch of the Party for Socialism and Liberation is planning to hold a rally this Saturday, January 4 at the State Capitol to protest the United States' escalation toward war with Iran. The rally was initially planned as a response to recent U.S. airstrikes in Iraq and Syria that provoked protests at the U.S. embassy in Baghdad this week. Organizers expanded their focus this Thursday after President Donald Trump ordered a drone strike in Iraq that killed high-ranking Iranian military leader Qasem Soleimani, a potential explosive turn in the United States' long history of deadly and cynical meddling in the Middle East.

It's been a while since Madison had a reputation as a hotbed of anti-war protest, though Madisonians did take part in a nationwide wave of demonstrations in March 2003 against the then-impending Iraq war, and more recently, Madison made a strong showing for the youth-led Global Climate Strike in September 2019. As Trump spoils for war in an election year, it'll be crucial for activists and local residents to mount a response. That the PSL is organizing Saturday's action speaks to the growing importance of socialist groups in Madison's political scene.

Saturday's rally is scheduled to take place from noon to 2 p.m., at the State Street corner of the Capitol Square. If you are organizing additional anti-war actions in Madison, let us know.