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Major Protests Mark Iraq War Anniversary
39 minutes ago
By VERENA DOBNIK, Associated Press Writer
NEW YORK - Hundreds of thousands of people around the world rallied against the U.S. presence in Iraq on the first anniversary of the war Saturday, in protests that retained the anger, if not the size, of demonstrations held before the invasion began.
Protesters filled more than a dozen police-lined blocks in Manhattan, calling on President Bush to bring home U.S. troops serving in Iraq. Mayor Michael Bloomberg estimated the crowd at about 30,000, but organizers said later that number had grown to more than 100,000.
"It is time to bring our children home and declare this war was unnecessary," said the Rev. Herbert Daughtry, a New York activist addressing a rally in Manhattan.
The roughly 250 anti-war protests scheduled around the country by United for Peace and Justice ranged from solemn to brash.
In Montpelier, Vt., hundreds of silent protesters placed a pair of shoes on the Statehouse steps for each of the more than 560 U.S. soldiers killed in the war. In Los Angeles, one of about 2,000 protesters held photographs of Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney with the words, "forget Janet Jackson's _ expose the real boobs."
Around the world, hundreds of thousands raised their voices in rallies from Spain to Egypt to the Philippines.
Organizers estimated up to 2 million people demonstrated in Rome, and 100,000 in London, but police in those cities gave estimates of 250,000 and 25,000, respectively.
Anti-war activists jammed the streets of central Rome, many of them decked out in rainbow-colored peace flags and chanting "assassins." Protesters demanded that the Italian government, a strong supporter of the war, withdraw its 2,600 troops from Iraq.
Paolo Quadrardi, 42, a mechanic, said the Madrid train bombings that killed 202 people March 11 showed that "war doesn't do anything but increase terrorism."
No crowd estimate was immediately available for Madrid's protest, although about 150,000 demonstrated in Barcelona. But the numbers paled in comparison to the millions that packed streets all over Spain after the train bombings.
The rallies coincided with the anniversary of the first bombings in Baghdad last year. Although President Bush ordered the attacks on March 19, the time difference made it March 20 in Iraq.
While turnout was high in some nations, the protests were all far smaller than the enormous demonstrations held around the world shortly before the war began.
A New York protest a year ago drew more than 125,000 by official estimates. Although that's similar to organizers' estimate Saturday, organizers for last year's event estimated the crowd at more than 250,000.
This event was peaceful, unlike last year's rally, which produced several clashes between demonstrators and police.
New York police in riot gear walked calmly past barricades marking off the demonstration area on Madison Avenue as speakers mounted a stage to address the crowd on a sunny afternoon.
Bloomberg and Police Commissioner Ray Kelly stopped by the rally, but didn't speak to demonstrators or participate.
Chicago police in full riot gear lined downtown streets as thousands of war opponents marched about two miles to the city's Federal Plaza.
The Rev. Jesse Jackson told the Chicago demonstrators to express their opposition to the war by voting against Bush. "It's time to fight back: Remember in November," he said.
In Cincinnati, several hundred people gathered in a downtown park to call for a U.S. troop withdrawal. Claire Mugavin, clad in a biohazard suit, pretended to look for weapons of mass destruction beneath benches and garbage cans.
"We figure they're not in Iraq," said the 24-year-old Cincinnati resident. "So we figured we'd come look for them in Fountain Square."
Thousands marched from Seattle's First Hill neighborhood to the waterfront, including Alberto Salazar, whose 20-year-old son, a Marine, served in Iraq.
"I feel angry that we have gone this far," Salazar said. "I feel hopeful people are waking up and seeing the truth of this whole matter."
In San Francisco, thousands of taiko drummers, cyclists, activists and other protesters chanted "End the occupation" and "Impeach Bush." Richard Penrose, 77, and his wife boarded an early bus from Sacramento to join the rally.
"I don't know if Bush is going to hear the message, but we're hoping the people of the United States hear it. Because people should have their power back," Penrose said.
Several thousand people turned out in Denver and several hundred marched in Atlanta and Albuquerque, N.M.
An anti-war rally and march in Augusta, Maine, drew an estimated 1,000 or more participants, as well as a smaller but enthusiastic band of counter-demonstrators. "We're here so the troops know we support them," said Erica Nawfel, 27, of Waterville.
Elsewhere around the world, Germany, Greece, the Netherlands and other European countries saw protests, while demonstrations took place earlier in Japan, Australia and India. About 500 protesters clashed with police outside the U.S. Embassy in the Philippines capital, Manila. No injuries were reported.
Demonstrators in Cairo _ vastly outnumbered by riot police _ burned an American flag. Hundreds of people gathered in other Middle Eastern capitals to denounce the war.
Major Protests Mark Iraq War Anniversary
39 minutes ago
By VERENA DOBNIK, Associated Press Writer
NEW YORK - Hundreds of thousands of people around the world rallied against the U.S. presence in Iraq on the first anniversary of the war Saturday, in protests that retained the anger, if not the size, of demonstrations held before the invasion began.
Protesters filled more than a dozen police-lined blocks in Manhattan, calling on President Bush to bring home U.S. troops serving in Iraq. Mayor Michael Bloomberg estimated the crowd at about 30,000, but organizers said later that number had grown to more than 100,000.
"It is time to bring our children home and declare this war was unnecessary," said the Rev. Herbert Daughtry, a New York activist addressing a rally in Manhattan.
The roughly 250 anti-war protests scheduled around the country by United for Peace and Justice ranged from solemn to brash.
In Montpelier, Vt., hundreds of silent protesters placed a pair of shoes on the Statehouse steps for each of the more than 560 U.S. soldiers killed in the war. In Los Angeles, one of about 2,000 protesters held photographs of Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney with the words, "forget Janet Jackson's _ expose the real boobs."
Around the world, hundreds of thousands raised their voices in rallies from Spain to Egypt to the Philippines.
Organizers estimated up to 2 million people demonstrated in Rome, and 100,000 in London, but police in those cities gave estimates of 250,000 and 25,000, respectively.
Anti-war activists jammed the streets of central Rome, many of them decked out in rainbow-colored peace flags and chanting "assassins." Protesters demanded that the Italian government, a strong supporter of the war, withdraw its 2,600 troops from Iraq.
Paolo Quadrardi, 42, a mechanic, said the Madrid train bombings that killed 202 people March 11 showed that "war doesn't do anything but increase terrorism."
No crowd estimate was immediately available for Madrid's protest, although about 150,000 demonstrated in Barcelona. But the numbers paled in comparison to the millions that packed streets all over Spain after the train bombings.
The rallies coincided with the anniversary of the first bombings in Baghdad last year. Although President Bush ordered the attacks on March 19, the time difference made it March 20 in Iraq.
While turnout was high in some nations, the protests were all far smaller than the enormous demonstrations held around the world shortly before the war began.
A New York protest a year ago drew more than 125,000 by official estimates. Although that's similar to organizers' estimate Saturday, organizers for last year's event estimated the crowd at more than 250,000.
This event was peaceful, unlike last year's rally, which produced several clashes between demonstrators and police.
New York police in riot gear walked calmly past barricades marking off the demonstration area on Madison Avenue as speakers mounted a stage to address the crowd on a sunny afternoon.
Bloomberg and Police Commissioner Ray Kelly stopped by the rally, but didn't speak to demonstrators or participate.
Chicago police in full riot gear lined downtown streets as thousands of war opponents marched about two miles to the city's Federal Plaza.
The Rev. Jesse Jackson told the Chicago demonstrators to express their opposition to the war by voting against Bush. "It's time to fight back: Remember in November," he said.
In Cincinnati, several hundred people gathered in a downtown park to call for a U.S. troop withdrawal. Claire Mugavin, clad in a biohazard suit, pretended to look for weapons of mass destruction beneath benches and garbage cans.
"We figure they're not in Iraq," said the 24-year-old Cincinnati resident. "So we figured we'd come look for them in Fountain Square."
Thousands marched from Seattle's First Hill neighborhood to the waterfront, including Alberto Salazar, whose 20-year-old son, a Marine, served in Iraq.
"I feel angry that we have gone this far," Salazar said. "I feel hopeful people are waking up and seeing the truth of this whole matter."
In San Francisco, thousands of taiko drummers, cyclists, activists and other protesters chanted "End the occupation" and "Impeach Bush." Richard Penrose, 77, and his wife boarded an early bus from Sacramento to join the rally.
"I don't know if Bush is going to hear the message, but we're hoping the people of the United States hear it. Because people should have their power back," Penrose said.
Several thousand people turned out in Denver and several hundred marched in Atlanta and Albuquerque, N.M.
An anti-war rally and march in Augusta, Maine, drew an estimated 1,000 or more participants, as well as a smaller but enthusiastic band of counter-demonstrators. "We're here so the troops know we support them," said Erica Nawfel, 27, of Waterville.
Elsewhere around the world, Germany, Greece, the Netherlands and other European countries saw protests, while demonstrations took place earlier in Japan, Australia and India. About 500 protesters clashed with police outside the U.S. Embassy in the Philippines capital, Manila. No injuries were reported.
Demonstrators in Cairo _ vastly outnumbered by riot police _ burned an American flag. Hundreds of people gathered in other Middle Eastern capitals to denounce the war.
