Despite the fact that the pro-military and anti-war demonstrations in front of the Berkeley City Hall have continued, although in smaller numbers than predicted, the nationwide criticism forced the City Council to change the attitude and take back some of the words used to describe the Marines - “uninvited and unwelcome intruders.”

City Council members announced they were thinking about reversing some of the declarations, showing their support for those serving in the armed forces, but at the same time they were planning on reaffirming their anti-war stance.

The Code-Pink activists’ demonstrations in front of the Berkeley recruitment office, calling for the bureau to be closed, raised waves of protests across the country, and thousands of e-mails and letters have been sent to the City Council, most of them disapproving the city’s stance against the Marines.

Washington decided to respond to the protests by threatening to cut $2 million of the federal funding to the city if the anti-Marines declarations will continue, especially since a public institution supports the protesters through such harsh declarations.

Out of the thousands expected to take part in the rallies, around 500 showed up, some of them holding “Peace” signs and asking for the troops to return home, while others were shouting “Shame on Berkeley!” and “Stop Bashing Our Boys.”

The Code-Pink militants said young people were recruited and sent to Iraq and Afghanistan to kill or be killed, and that the state doesn’t take care of them afterwards. At the same time, pro-troops militants said the Marines were the best thing they could possibly have.

Following the weekend protests, Sgt. Pauline Franklin said in a CNN interview: “There is no plan for the office to move” and recruiters were sent there “to provide information to qualified men and women who are looking for opportunities that they may benefit from by serving in the military.”