Davenport Stands Against War — A Community Rejects Escalation in Venezuela

Jan 11

Written By Alexandria-Claire Friend-Hannah

Davenport Stands Against War — A Community Rejects Escalation in Venezuela

In early January 2026, as headlines across the country shifted toward escalating U.S. military involvement in Venezuela, a small but determined crowd gathered at the intersection of Kimberly Road and Welcome Way in Davenport, Iowa. Their message was simple, urgent, and unmistakable: No war in Venezuela. No intervention. No escalation.

This Davenport protest was part of a broader wave of anti‑war demonstrations across Iowa and the nation. According to local reporting, protesters rallied specifically in response to the recent U.S. military strike and capture of Venezuela’s president, an event that sent shockwaves through global politics and raised fears of a prolonged conflict. The action in Davenport was organized by the Visibility Brigade Quad Cities, a group known for rapid‑response demonstrations and human‑rights advocacy.

A Community Responds to Escalation

The Davenport protest did not emerge in isolation. It followed a series of alarming developments in Venezuela and the surrounding region. National news coverage reported that the U.S. military operation had resulted in the capture of President Maduro, prompting international condemnation and raising questions about the long‑term consequences of such an aggressive intervention. China issued strong statements criticizing the action, while analysts warned that the situation could destabilize global oil markets and deepen geopolitical tensions.

For many in Davenport, these events were not distant abstractions. They represented a dangerous shift in U.S. foreign policy one that risked repeating the mistakes of past interventions. Protesters feared that escalating military involvement could worsen humanitarian conditions in Venezuela, entangle the U.S. in another prolonged conflict, and further destabilize Latin America.

Local Leadership and Grassroots Presence

Among those present was Adam Peters, a grassroots progressive running for Iowa House District 97. Despite exhaustion from campaigning and community meetings, Peters showed up a testament to his commitment to migrant rights, human dignity, and opposition to authoritarianism. His presence underscored a broader truth: anti‑war movements are often sustained not by institutions, but by ordinary people who refuse to look away.

The Visibility Brigade, joined by other Quad Cities activists, held signs demanding diplomacy over force. Their protest was peaceful, principled, and rooted in a long tradition of Midwestern anti‑war organizing.

A Statewide Wave of Resistance

The Davenport action mirrored similar protests across Iowa. On the same day:

Cedar Rapids saw a rally organized by the 50501 Iowa Coalition, drawing around 20 people.

Iowa City hosted a larger demonstration of roughly 50 attendees, organized by Indivisible Iowa Johnson County.

These protests were organized quickly — a sign of widespread alarm over the sudden shift in U.S. foreign policy. Activists across the state urged Congress to intervene, de‑escalate tensions, and prevent further military action.

Why Davenport Matters

Some might dismiss a protest of a few dozen people on a cold January afternoon as insignificant. But that would miss the point. Davenport’s demonstration was part of a larger moral and political reckoning. It reflected a growing unease with the direction of U.S. foreign policy and a refusal to accept war as an inevitability.

In a political climate where national media often frames foreign intervention as a strategic necessity, local communities like Davenport remind us that ordinary people still have a voice and they are willing to use it.

Links to Verified Reporting