MORE THAN 20,000 PROTESTERS FILL STREETS OF L.A.
IAC-LA
MORE THAN 20,000 PROTESTERS FILL STREETS OF L.A.
Mon Mar 22 02:39:44 2004
64.140.158.126

MORE THAN 20,000 PROTESTERS FILL STREETS OF L.A.
3-21-04 IAC-LA@action-mail.org

More than 20,000 protesters filled the streets of Los Angeles yesterday
in a spirited, militant protest to demand: "Bring the Troops Home Now" and "End
Occupation of Iraq, Palestine, Haiti & Everywhere!" The Los Angeles march and
rally was one of hundreds on every continent, as millions of people around
the world participated in a Global Day of Action Against War and Occupation.
Other demonstrations in the U.S. included crowds of more than 100,000 in New
York, 50,000 in San Francisco, 10,000 in Chicago, and 4,000 in San Diego. More
than 1 million jammed the streets of Rome and millions more joined protests from
Tokyo to Johannesburg to Cairo to Madrid.

The Los Angeles march and rally was initiated by the International
A.N.S.W.E.R. Coalition (Act Now to Stop War and End Racism), LA's main anti-war group,
which includes the International Action Center; Free Palestine Alliance; ADC
LA/OC; BAYAN - USA; Mindullae; Palestinian American Women's Association; and the
National Lawyers Guild. Other initiating organizations in LA included Latino
Movement USA; CAIR - LA; Al-Awda, the Palestine Right of Return Coalition;
Korean Americans for Peace; US Labor Against War; Global Women's Strike; Latinos
Against War; Muslim Student Association - West; and many other organizations.

The demonstration in LA exceeded the expectations of the march
organizers. Chanting "End the Occupation Now," "Free Free Palestine, Long Live
Palestine," and "Bring the Troops Home Now," over 20,000 people marched 1.5 miles from
Hollywood & Vine, down Highland Ave. to Sunset Blvd., north on La Brea, and
back around to Hollywood & Highland, stopping for the main rally in front of the
Kodak Theatre. The demonstrators were so numerous that the march was over14
blocks long, and the excitement on the street was palpable along the entire
route!

The front of the demonstration was crowded with beautiful banners and signs
in English, Spanish, and Arabic, supporting an end to colonial occupation in
Iraq, and Palestine.Many demonstrators carried coffins draped with the flags of
Palestine and Iraq. In addition, the march featured a 20 x 25 foot Palestinian
flag carried by Arab Americans of all ages. Many veterans and veterans'
groups marched, along with impressive contingents of immigrants, labor, students,
same-sex marriage equality advocates, and for Cuba and the Cuban Five. A large
contingent of LA public school teachers also joined the demonstration.
Congressperson Maxine Waters and veteran Ron Kovic spoke to the huge crowd of
protestors, as did representatives of struggles against occupation and U.S.
intervention in Iraq, Palestine, Haiti, Afghanistan, Venezuela, and everywhere.

The rally also featured speakers from labor, immigrants' rights groups,
religious leaders, and many others. The March 20 Global Day of Action proves
unequivocally that opposition to the Iraq war and occupation is deep and it is
worldwide. "The mass movement against occupation in Los Angeles and across the
globe is vibrant, unified in its demands, and growing stronger every day.
Demonstrators in Los Angeles and all over the world sent a powerful message to the
war mongers on March 20th:
End Occupation from Iraq to Palestine to Haiti and Everywhere! Bring the
Troops Home Now! Money for Jobs, Education, Health Care, and Welfare - Not War!
End Racism at Home and Abroad! Stop Attacks on Immigrants and Civil Rights!The
ANSWER Coalition also initiated or co-sponsored rallies in New York, San
Francisco, Philadelphia, Chicago, and San Diego. Over 300 cities across the U.S.
participated in the March 20 Global Day of Action.

PHOTOGRAPHS of the demonstrations in Los Angeles are available at
www.answerla.org , and links to two great pictures are listed below:

http://internationalanswer.org/images/m20/photo11.jpg ">



Also, photos from the demonstrations in New York City, San Francisco,
Philadelphia, Chicago and Spain are available at

http://www.internationalanswer.org/news/update/032004m20report.html

---------------------------------

Searched news for WAR PROTESTERS.

Protestors mark one-year anniversary of Iraq war
Protesters gather at Robinson Park in Albuquerque, as seen from Chopper 4.
Protestors in Santa Fe dressed in costumes in a protest on the war in Iraq.
Last Update: 03/21/2004 10:15:37 AM
By: Todd Dukart

Protestors marched through the streets of cities around the country to mark the one-year anniversary of the war in Iraq.

People started gathering at Robinson Park in Albuquerque about noon on Saturday. Other protestors gathered in Santa Fe about the same time. All share one goal.

“We’re here to raise the issue, to bring the troops home from the Iraq war, to stop killing and decolonize Iraq,” said Bob Anderson.

Police were on standby in both cities as hundreds marched.

Protestors believe that Americans no longer support having troops in Iraq.

“It blew up in their face,” said Jillian Niven. “They told us they’d be received with flowers and cheers.”

Protesters in Taos took a different approach. Just outside the town, they tore down a 20-foot statue they made of Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld. Rumsfeld owns a vacation home in Taos.

Although police were on standby, there were no problems at the events.
http://kobtv.com/index.cfm?viewer=storyviewer&id=9501&cat=HOME

Statement of John Kerry, Vietnam Veterans Against the War

Mr. Kerry: Thank you very much, Senator Fulbright, Senator Javits, Senator Symington, Senator Pell. I would like to say for the record, and also for the men behind me who are also wearing the uniforms and their medals, that my sitting here is really symbolic. I am not here as John Kerry. I am here as one member of the group of veterans in this country, and were it possible for all of them to sit at this table they would be here and have the same kind of testimony.

I would simply like to speak in very general terms. I apologize if my statement is general because I received notification yesterday you would hear me and I am afraid because of the injunction I was up most of the night and haven't had a great deal of chance to prepare.

Winter soldier Investigation
http://www.c-span.org/vote2004/jkerrytestimony.asp


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