(Anti-American) Protesters say masses to demand end to Iraq 'occupation' this weekend

Yahooo via Associated French Presse ^ | 3/18/04

[areafiftyone]

NEW YORK (AFP) - Anti-war protesters are planning mass demonstrations in 200 cities across the United States this weekend that will demand an end to the US "occupation" of Iraq (news - web sites), one year after US troops invaded Iraq toppling Saddam Hussein (news - web sites).

Organisers predict a big coast-to-coast turnout in protests planned for Saturday that will stretch from New York on the eastern seaboard to San Francisco on the west coast, and even hope to picket close to President George W. Bush (news - web sites)'s private Texas ranch in Crawford.

"Events from Anchorage, Alaska to St Petersburg, Florida, (and) Crawford, Texas," said Dustin Langley, a spokesman for the anti-war coalition ANSWER (Act Now to Stop War and End Racism).

Bush is expected to be attending an election campaign stop in Florida during the demonstrations.

The biggest demos are touted to occur on the streets of New York, Chicago, Los Angeles and San Francisco, a stronghold of US counter-culture.

Organisers are keeping their fingers crossed the overall turnout will match the large crowds that took to the streets preceding the war to protest America's pending invasion of Iraq, its likely costs and loss of human life.

They expect "tens of thousands" to march in New York alone carrying banners reading "End Colonial Occupation," and "Bring The Troops Home Now."

Protesters from Vermont and North Carolina are expected to travel to New York to support the Manhattan demonstrations.

The second-biggest turnout is foreseen in San Francisco, one of the country's most politicised city's, according to ANSWER's San Francisco-based Bill Hackwell.

More modest crowds are expected in Los Angeles, but their ranks are likely to lit by some celebrity wattage, Hollywood stars Martin Sheen and Tim Robbins are likely to be in attendance.

The shock election in Spain -- following last Thursday's terror strikes in Madrid -- of Socialist prime-minister-elect Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero who has signalled he will withdrawal Spanish troops from Iraq, is likely to spur support for Saturday's demos, organisers say.

Spain's outgoing prime minister, Jose Maria "Aznar hooked himself to Bush's cart of war and lost. Now people in the United States, like in Spain, are fed up with the occupation of Iraq and with US arrogance and will show it," Hackwell said.

"Bush's poll numbers are dropping," said an optimistic Langley, hoping this will also be reflected on the streets Saturday.

Veteran pacifists are due, but ANSWER hopes the marches will gain broader support. In New York, for example, a contingent of Haitians angry at Washington's intervention in Haiti are likely to swell numbers.

"Arab and Muslim organisations (are also expected), some dropped by to get some leaflets to hand out in mosques," Langley added.

Demonstrations against the Iraq war here peaked early last year, one of the biggest such demos occured on February 15 in New York when 250,000 people took to the streets.

Some 200 protesters, including families of soldiers killed in Iraq, had gathered Monday in front of the White House in Washington calling for an end to the US occupation of Iraq.

[areafiftyone]

As Reported by The French Media isn't that Ironic? Hey anti-americans, ANSWER is not exactly well-loved in this country!

[GungaLaGunga]

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz......

[Paradox]

How about we ask the Iraqi people what they want? Thats the only opinion right now that really matters.

[Integrityrocks]

This calls for a BARF ALERT.

[areafiftyone]

Couldn't fit it in the title. Wish we had more space for all the barfs!

[rrrod]

ill be in fayetteville sat to pay my respects to the hate america scum!...pic to follow..promise folks

[rrrod]

ill be in fayetteville sat to pay my respects to the hate america scum!...pic to follow..promise folks

[cdrw]

They can all go pound sand. If THE MAJORITY OF IRAQI PEOPLE start to insist that we leave then I will listen. The rest of 'em can all scream till their lungs hurt and I don't give a rip.

[zarf]

Ahhh, election time is fun ain't it!!

[VulgarWit]

What a brilliant plan... we'll just abandon the people of Iraq the same way we abandoned the people of South Vietnam and Cambodia. So will these protesters step up and accept responsibility for the tens of thousands slaughtered in the chaos that follows the withdrawal of coalition forces? no no no.. that would imply intellectual honesty and we know that the left has never listed 'honesty' among their plentiful neurosis.

[17th Miss Regt]

I like the idea of freeping them with signs like 'Restore Saddam - Refill the Mass Graves!' and 'Rape Rooms - They're Not So Bad After All!' On the back of the signs you put 'More Taxes Now! - Kerry '04', or stuff like that.

[SheLion]

God Bless Our Soldiers! We love them one and all and are so proud of them for protecting us!

[syriacus]

Here is what John Kerry's Coalition of the Unwilling did for the South Vietnamese children.

Imagine
what Kerry can do for our kids

[areafiftyone]

ROFLMAO!!!

[Jaded]

Good point.

[Iron Matron]

like the idea of freeping them with signs like 'Restore Saddam - Refill the Mass Graves!' and 'Rape Rooms - They're Not So Bad After All!' On the back of the signs you put 'More Taxes Now! - Kerry '04', or stuff like that.



The hubby and I could take a couple hours ride to the crawford locale. This sounds like fun.

[sandbar]

>I like the idea of freeping them with signs like 'Restore >Saddam - Refill the Mass Graves!' and 'Rape Rooms - >They're Not So Bad After All!' On the back of the signs >you put 'More Taxes Now! - Kerry '04', or stuff like that.

LOVE IT!!! I wish I had a protest near me so I could go do this!!!