- July 12, 2025
Joe Czajkowski protests U.S. involvement in the Israel-Iran conflict at the Granada Bridge on Friday, June 20. Photo by Jarleene Almenas
People protest U.S. involvement in the Israel-Iran conflict at the Granada Bridge on Friday, June 20. Photo by Jarleene Almenas
People protest U.S. involvement in the Israel-Iran conflict at the Granada Bridge on Friday, June 20. Photo by Jarleene Almenas
People protest U.S. involvement in the Israel-Iran conflict at the Granada Bridge on Friday, June 20. Photo by Jarleene Almenas
Liz Whalen protests U.S. involvement in the Israel-Iran conflict at the Granada Bridge on Friday, June 20. Photo by Jarleene Almenas
Rob Bridger, of Ormond Beach, protests U.S. involvement in the Israel-Iran conflict at the Granada Bridge on Friday, June 20. Photo by Jarleene Almenas
People protest U.S. involvement in the Israel-Iran conflict at the Granada Bridge on Friday, June 20. Photo by Jarleene Almenas
People protest U.S. involvement in the Israel-Iran conflict at the Granada Bridge on Friday, June 20. Photo by Jarleene Almenas
Ormond Beach residents Jeff Boyle and Karen Aiello protest U.S. involvement in the Israel-Iran conflict at the Granada Bridge on Friday, June 20. Photo by Jarleene Almenas
The protest was organized by Kelly Czajkowski, founder of Just Us Volusia. Photo by Jarleene Almenas
About 30 people gathered at the base of the Granada Bridge on Friday, June 20, to protest U.S. involvement in the Israel-Iran conflict.
The protest was organized by Just Us Volusia, a peaceful, non-partisan action group formed by Kelly Czajkowski in April.
"We're not an organization," she said. "We're just scrappy, grassroots concerned citizens that want to speak up and speak out, and maybe stand up and show up for people that maybe don't feel safe doing that at this time."
Just Us Volusia organizes protests on various issues, national and local, at the Daytona Beach City Hall every other weekend, and participants come from all over the political spectrum, Czajkowski said.
After the U.S. administration's threats of getting involved in a war against Iran, several group members contacted Czajkowski to ask if they were going to do something, sharing stories of loved ones currently enlisted who could be sent overseas.
"We do not support any wars," Czajkowski said. "We are anti-war, and with that, the president ran on a policy of no wars and ending wars, and not starting wars. ... He said he was going to stop the policy of regime change and put America first, and here we are."
National news outlets reported on Friday that Trump said he will wait up to two weeks to decide on striking Iran.
Czajkowski hasn't always been involved in activism. But as a teacher who works with children with severe physical, mental and cognitive disabilities, she said she couldn't stay silent as government policies began impacting their daily lives.
Attendance at protests organized by Just Us Volusia have been steadily rising since their first official one held on the National Day of Action on April 5. The group recently held a "No Kings" protest in Daytona Beach which was attended by about 3,000 people. The group keeps track of attendance using stickers, and despite printing 2,500, they ran out within the first hour, Czajkowski said.
Just Us Volusia is fighting for free speech, she said. She hopes the protest encourages people to call their representatives and make their voices heard.
"I feel like regardless of political affiliation, regardless of what party you're aligned with when you go to vote, nobody voted for this," Czajkowski said. "Nobody voted to go to war. Nobody voted thinking this was a good idea and I feel like we need to find common ground if we're going to make any change."
