Doug Lorimer
At least 2 million anti-war protesters rallied and marched in cities around the world on March 20 — the first anniversary of the US-led invasion of Iraq.
From Sydney to Tokyo, from Seoul to New York, from London to Dehli, demonstrators condemned the US-led invasion of Iraq and demanded the withdrawal of the occupation troops. Anti-war protests occurred in at least 65 countries as part of an global day of action.
According to Reuters news agency, "at least 1 million people streamed through Rome, in probably the biggest single protest" against the occupation of Iraq on March 20. Italy has about 2600 troops in Iraq.
"This is an expression of solidarity with the Iraqi people and with the victims of all wars", Flavio Lotti, a member of the Stop the War committee which organised the rally, told journalists.
Hundreds of special trains and buses from all over Italy began to arrive in Rome from early in the morning. The demonstration in Rome began an hour ahead of time because there was no space left for more protesters coming in to the city centre.
Chanting "Bring back our troops!", about 40,000 people marched through downtown Madrid only a week after the shock election victory of the opposition Socialist Party which had made the withdrawal from Iraq of Spain's contingent of 1300 troops a key election pledge.
The protesters carried placards reading "Your war, our
dead!" or "No bombs in Baghdad or Madrid!" This was a reference to the March 11 terrorist bombings of Madrid commuter trains which killed 202 people. A purported spokesperson for Osama bin Laden's al Qaeda terrorist network claimed responsibility for the train bombs, calling them retaliation for Spanish backing of US-led wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
"Today, Madrid is the moral capital of Europe", Portuguese Nobel prize-winning author Jose Saramago told the Madrid protesters. Anti-war protests in Barcelona and Seville attracted around 100,000 and 40,000 participants respectively.
Protest organisers estimated that 100,000 demonstrators marched from London's Hyde Park to Trafalgar Square, many carrying "Wanted" posters bearing images of US President George Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair.
"People feel that everything they said about the war has proved to be true", said Lindsey German, spokesperson for the Stop the War Coalition, which organised the London protest.
"George Bush did not wage a war against terror", veteran anti-war activist Franz Alt told about 2000 protesters gathered in heavy rain near the entrance of the US military's Ramstein Air Base in western Germany. "He has ensured that with his wars, terrorism is now stronger."
Up to 30,000 anti-war protesters braved chill rain to march to through downtown Tokyo. They chanted "Get the Japanese Self-Defence Forces out of Iraq!" to a rhythm of drums and gongs. A poll conducted by the Asahi Shimbun daily earlier this month found that 66% of Japanese voters believed the US had no legitimate reason to invade Iraq. According to a March 21 Japantoday.com report, up to 130,000 people participated in anti-war protests across Japan.
There were anti-war protests in up to 250 cities and towns across the United States. The largest protest was in New York City where up to 100,000 created a sea of placards and banners in midtown Manhattan. The most popular signs read "Money for jobs and education not for war and occupation" and "Bush lies, GIs and Iraqis die" and "End occupation of Iraq."
Anti-war groups in at least 35 US cities organised transportation for protesters to travel to the New York City demonstration in the first major US anti-war rally since the October 25,
2003, demonstrations when 100,000 people came into the streets of
Washington, DC. On the west coast of the US, about 40,000 anti-war protesters rallied in San Francisco on March 20.
In Crawford, Texas, about 900 anti-war activists gathered at a park near President Bush's ranch. The T-shirt of choice read: "Crawford, Texas, Bring your village idiot home."
Some 700 anti-war activists, including war veterans and the families of US soldiers fighting in Iraq, gathered in Fayetteville, North Carolina, home of Fort Bragg, one of the biggest US military basis.
"The March 20 Global Day of Action proves that opposition to the Iraq war and occupation is deep and it is worldwide", said Brian Becker, a spokesperson for the Act Now to Stop War and End Racism (ANSWER) group which co-organised the New York and San Francisco demonstrations with the United for Peace and Justice coalition.
From Green Left Weekly, March 24, 2004.
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