Anti-war protests in 50 cities challenge the Iran war's legal authority

On March 2 and March 7, 2026, anti-war demonstrations took place in about 50 U.S. cities. A coalition of more than 30 groups organized the protests, including the ANSWER Coalition, CodePink, Democratic Socialists of America, the Palestinian Youth Movement, and American Muslims for Palestine. Protesters gathered in New York at Times Square and Columbus Circle. In Los Angeles and San Francisco, Iranian diaspora communities split — some mourned civilian deaths, others supported regime change but opposed U.S. unilateral war. A central grievance was legal: Trump launched Operation Epic Fury without congressional authorization. Protesters and several lawmakers argued the war violated the War Powers Resolution. The movement included libertarians, left-wing groups, some Iranian-Americans, and anti-war conservatives, though they disagreed on what outcome they wanted.