Organizers of a youth peace rally in Rochester are expecting 50 to 100 people to attend the event Thursday outside the Federal Building in downtown Rochester. The rally is expected to draw college and high school students.
Alyssa Hoadley, a Rochester resident and junior at SUNY Cortland is one of the rally organizers where activists will call for peace in the Middle East.
“There's really no reason for a war, and we don't want more people to get hurt," she said.
Hoadley said a war with Iran would only cause pain, financial stress and loss of life.
Brighton High School senior Hridesh Singh is another organizer, he says his group supports a bill co-sponsored by Democratic Presidential candidate Bernie Sanders and Rep. Ro Khanna of California that would block funding for a war with Iran.
“This bill would basically halt any funding for any further escalation of violence in Iran," he said.
Singh called the president's actions "reckless," and says it puts thousands of American and Iranian lives at risk. Both Singh and Hoadley want to prevent further bloodshed from occurring in that region.
"Our goal is just peace. You know, peace in the Middle East," Hoadley said.
Thursday's rally for peace starts at 4:00 p.m. in front of the Federal Building on State Street.