German Protesters Call Bush 'No. 1 Terrorist'

reuters ^ | 02-24-05 | Alexandra Hudson

[Colosis]

By Alexandra Hudson

MAINZ, Germany (Reuters) - About 12,000 protesters, many carrying banners reading "Bush go home," "No. 1 Terrorist" and "Warmonger," marched through the German city of Mainz on Wednesday, but were mostly kept away from the visiting U.S. president.

The official rally, which was twice as big as expected, never got within earshot of President Bush, but a small group of protestors rushed toward his car as he left to visit a U.S. base in nearby Wiesbaden. Police wrestled several demonstrators to the ground and led them away in handcuffs, a Reuters witness said.

Bush was visiting Germany for the first time since the 2003 Iraq war, which Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder and most Germans opposed.

"I'm disgusted by the war in Iraq Bush started that has cost thousands of civilian lives," said Thomas Odenweller, 49, a computer technician. "Now he's trying to normalize relations with Europe. It must be stopped."

Ignoring snow and freezing temperatures, the demonstrators held banners chastising Bush in English with slogans such as: "You can bomb the world to pieces but not into peace." Many had pre-printed posters reading: "Bush, No. 1 Terrorist."

Before the march, which Mainz police said was one of the largest ever in the city of about 300,000, one speaker told the crowd: "Mr. Bush, please leave our country. You started an illegal war against Iraq."

German police confiscated one poster that read: "We had our Hitler, now you have yours."

Some protesters praised Schroeder for his anti-war stance.

"Schroeder's opposition to the Iraq war made me so proud to be German," said Helmut Bach, 50, a pilot who marched with his 20-year-old daughter. "That's why I voted for him."

Several protesters wearing fake U.S. army uniforms pulled a trailer with dummies of blood-covered Iraq prisoners impaled on iron bars under a banner: "We don't want your type of freedom."

A force of 10,000 police officers staged one of the biggest postwar security operations. Frogmen searched the Rhine for explosives, 1,300 manhole covers were welded shut and thousands of residents were displaced.

[Names Ash Housewares]

These idiots protested Reagan too. They are just as wrong today as they were then!

[RexBeach]

Can there be any doubt that Germany is now populated by tons and tons of socialists and Islamic zealots?

No soup for them!

Next!

Viva Bush!

[TheDon]

It's good to see Germany still passes the "Townsquare Test".

[SMARTY]

I don't know, but they have long since passed the 'global test'.

[SMARTY]

I don't know, but they have long since passed the 'global test'.

[cripplecreek]

Interesting how the Germans avoid calling Bush a nazi.

[Ginifer]

Not everyone in Germany is anti-Bush and anti-American.

Here is a blog from Germany. This guy got people together to put on a demonstration supporting America.

http://medienkritik.typepad.com/blog

[KC_Conspirator]

I guess the Wehrwolves movement still lives on.

[sierrahome]

"I guess the Wehrwolves movement still lives on."

It does! What's more I live in northern California next to an old couple that came here from Germany when they were both in their late teens...just old enough to have been long standing members of the Hitler youth. They hate my wife and I...hate us. They do not believe the Holocaust ever happened she is still mad that we bombed the bearing factory and killed her dad. What the heck they are doing living here is beyond me.

[Polyxene]

"Mr. Bush, please leave our country. You started an illegal war against Iraq."

President Bush -- "Okay, I'll leave, but I'm taking all of the U.S. soldiers with me, and I am closing down all of military bases." Good-Bye!

[youngtory]

Headline North American Conservatives call Schroder no.1 "Appeaser"

[KC_Conspirator]

Thats terrible that those people got to move into our country. Total morons. Do they have bumper stickers on their cars that say "I"d rather be goose stepping".

[Ghost of Philip Marlowe]

Over a hundred years later and with the classroom of the 20th century laying in smoking ruins, these arrogant tyrants and originators of Socialism are still trying to force the worst of all terrorism upon mankind.

[newgeezer]

Already posted here.

Posting refresher course - Please read

[sierrahome]

Actually he was brought over here because of his education by the Hitler youth. He has no fear of heights and was taught to be a welder. We bomb a train bridge and he'd shimmy out over a river and start welding. Thanks to the Union Pacific for bringing him here as a welder when they started new snowshed in the sierras. I'm not kidding when I say that it is pretty weird.

[KC_Conspirator]

That is interesting. I heard that native Americans do not have a fear of heights as well, but that may just be a myth.

[Route101]

Not a myth...they worked on many high rise building projects.....