Washington, DC · The National Mall

March for Peace and Democracy

Friday, October 235 PM · U.S. Capitol → Sylvan Theater

We march from the Capitol to the foot of the Washington Monument with three demands: end the war in Iran, end our complicity in war crimes, and take our democracy back from the special interests that profit from war.

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Event poster: a white dove with the words March for Peace + Democracy soars over the U.S. Capitol and Washington Monument above a crowd. October 23 at the National Mall. March from US Capitol to Sylvan Theater, starting at 5 PM.

Poster art by Evangeline Gallagher

The essentials

When

Fri, Oct 23, 2026Gather at 5:00 PM

Start

U.S. CapitolExact gathering spot posted here before the march

Finish

Sylvan TheaterConcert and rally at the foot of the Washington Monument

Cost

Free, all agesPlease RSVP so we have enough water and restrooms for everyone

Why we march

Three demands

End the war in Iran

Since February 28, the United States has been at war with Iran. Thousands are dead, among them American service members. On the war's first day, a U.S. missile struck an elementary school in Minab, killing 120 children and 26 of their teachers. The bill to taxpayers has passed $45 billion. We demand a ceasefire, a negotiated end to the war, and a Congress that takes back its constitutional power to decide when this country goes to war.

End our complicity in war crimes

Our tax dollars and our weapons have fueled the destruction of Gaza, where more than 74,000 Palestinians have been killed. U.S. law already bars military aid to forces that commit gross violations of human rights. We demand our government follow its own laws and stop sending the weapons.

End special-interest control of our politics

Weapons makers, lobbies and super PACs spend enormous sums to decide who wins our elections, then collect on the investment. We demand campaigns funded by voters, not special interests, and leaders who answer to the people who elected them.

The cost of war, counted

Paid for in lives, and by us

Estimated U.S. cost of the Iran war, right now
$45,100,000,000

That's about $341 for every household in America.

Pentagon figure reported to Congress ($45.1B through Sept. 3), plus the Congressional Budget Office's projected $2–3B per month. How we count

22+
U.S. service members killed in the Iran war

U.S. officials to the Washington Post, Sept. 2026. The Pentagon's public tally says 19.

3,636+
people killed in Iran, including 1,701 civilians

HRANA, documented through April 7. Fighting has continued since.

74,016
Palestinians killed in Gaza since Oct. 2023

Gaza Ministry of Health, Sept. 26, 2026

$21.7B
in U.S. military aid to Israel, Oct. 2023 to Sept. 2025

Costs of War Project, Brown University

120 children
and 26 of their teachers, killed on the war's first day when a U.S. missile struck their elementary school in Minab, Iran.

Local authorities, as cited by the UN fact-finding mission, which found reasonable grounds to call the strike a war crime (Sept. 2026).

See the full tally and sources

On stage at Sylvan Theater

Speakers + music

When the march reaches the Washington Monument, the concert and rally begin at Sylvan Theater, with speakers and live music.

We're announcing the lineup over the coming weeks. Check back, or add the march to your calendar so you don't miss it.

See the lineup

The evening at a glance

  1. 5:00 PM

    Gather at the Capitol

    U.S. Capitol, Washington, DC

  2. Early evening

    We march

    Down the National Mall, about 1.3 miles

  3. About 7:00 PM

    Concert + rally

    Sylvan Theater, Washington Monument

Exact times will be posted on Plan Your Day.