Saturday morning, devoted activists and supporters of the Northern California 9/11 Truth Alliance gathered in the cold, gray damp of the Golden Gate Panhandle to prepare to march and chant their way into the park and to the Power to the Peaceful festival.

The marchers, participants of the fifth annual Rally and March for 9/11 Truth, were slow to arrive, but eventually about 50 people showed up to voice their support for what they believe is the real truth behind the September 11 terrorist attacks.

Signs carried by marchers read “Neo-Con Jobs: Iraq and 9/11,” “9/11 was an inside job,” and “9/11 was the largest cover-up of evidence in history!”

Frank Running Horse, one of the founding members of the 9/11 Truth Alliance, said the primary objective of the march was to make an impact on the bigger crowd gathering at Speedway Meadow for the peace festival.

“We just really want to come in with a presence,” said the 52-year-old Concord resident. “We want to be visible to the thousands of people who question the truth behind 9/11.”

Carol Brouillet, the event’s organizer and another founding member of the alliance, had hoped there would be a bigger turnout, but was happy to see anyone come out to support the cause.

“The truth is so powerful. We really hope we can get to be a majority opinion, however long that may take,” she said. “We started this because we didn’t want people to feel like they couldn’t dissent, so our visibility is really important.”

Prior to starting the march to the park, Brouillet addressed the gathering crowd from a small stage.

“The administration has consistently lied to us…and has challenged basic morality by condoning torture, assassination and the abrogation of basic human rights,” Brouillet shouted from the podium. While she spoke, a demonstrator wearing an orange jumpsuit and a black execution hood stood silently off to her side.

The procession continued toward the park, snaking its way up Haight Street, stopping traffic. Chants such as “9/11 was an inside job, orchestrated by the Cheney mob” blared from megaphones and portable speakers. Whistles were blown and drums were beat while the banners and signs floated above the marchers’ heads. Some passing motorists honked and waved while others looked annoyed.

The marchers, however, were not swayed by non-supporters. Holly Severson, a nursing student who joined the activist group Code Pink a month ago, said she came out for the march specifically because of those people who think nothing of political events.

“I’m so frustrated with the general apathy of the American people,” said the 40 year old from Madison, Wis. “I feel so strongly about our rights being taken away, and it just upsets me what’s being allowed to go on.”

Severson has plenty of experience with protesting. Her mother took her to her first Vietnam protest in the ‘70s when she was a little girl, and since then, she’s found something to demonstrate against every decade.

“In the ‘70s, it was Vietnam, in the ‘80s it was Reagan,” she said. “Now we’re trying to drive out the Bush regime.”

As for Carol Brouillet, she’ll take on almost any feat possible to get her message out. She’s running for congress in the 14th district, which encompasses Palo Alto, Stanford and surrounding areas. Her main motivations for her campaign are to advocate for the alliance’s stance on 9/11 truth and to push for Bush’s impeachment.

“We’re out there now. There are people on the street who know us,” she said. “Even if Bush wanted to attack us, there are people who would see. I just feel that whatever happens now, it will be good.”