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| WASHINGTON DC: ANTIWAR REPORT | Jan 19 2003 |
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J18: Hundreds of Thousands Demand Peace at US Capitol Hundreds of thousands of people rallied
in Washington DC on Saturday, January 18 to say no to war with Iraq. Speakers at the event evoked the memory of Martin Luther King in calling for a world without violence, and for a country that seeks to end hunger among all children rather than terrozing those whom the Bush administration opposes. Speakers also said that Bush was killing the American way of life in this war for oil. The event in DC was organized by the International ANSWER coaltion. Read: entire feature | chronology of events
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| SAN FRANCISCO: ANTIWAR REPORT | Jan 19 2003 |
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A massive anti-war protest was held on Saturday in downtown San Francisco, calling for no war on Iraq. The crowd stretched continuously from the foot of Market Street and filled the Civic Center to capacity, with estimates of crowd size ranging from 200-350,000 people [ 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 ]. All age groups were in attendance, and people of all colors were also there in great numbers. The convergence was organized by International ANSWER and numerous community organizations. Later in the afternoon, one thousand people joined a radical anti-capitalist breakaway march and militantly marched through the financial center smashing windows and graffitting the San Francisco Chronicle building, the British Consulate, CitiCorp, the Immigration & Naturalization Service building [ 1 | video 1 | 2 ], Starbucks and Victoria's Secret [ 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | audio ]. There were two confirmed arrests. Further coverage: chronology of events | overhead photos | sounds of the street
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| PORTLAND: ANTIWAR REPORT | Jan 19 2003 |
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On Saturday in Portland, Oregon, at least 20,000 people gathered at the South Park Blocks near Portland State University in solidarity against a preemptive war against Iraq. This was the third Peace rally, after the October 5th and November 17th rallies, each larger than the one before it, mirroring the growing dissatisfaction in our country concerning the Bush Administrations' myopic rush to war. Read: entire feature | chronology of events
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| EUROPE: ANTIWAR REPORT | Jan 19 2003 |
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During the European Social Forum (ESF) in Florence in November 2002, the date of 15 February was selected as the day for pan-European actions against war in Iraq. Ten million people are expected to protest across the continent on that date. Therefore, there were no major demonstrations planned on 18 January. There were scattered anti-war actions in many countries, however. Read: entire feature
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| USA: ANTIWAR REPORT | Jan 19 2003 |
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In addition to the massive antiwar demonstrations in Washington DC, San Francisco, and Portland on Saturday, there were solidarity rallies across the United States. The depth and breadth of the opposition to war across the country demonstrated an ongoing decline in support for the Bush administration and its policies. The demonstrations ranged in size from thousandss of persons to several on a street corner. Read: entire feature and add links to further reports | Winning Hearts and Minds for Peace in the Heartland
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| CANADA: ANTIWAR REPORT | Jan 19 2003 |
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On Saturday, January 18, 2003, tens of thousands of people joined marches, demonstrations, rallies and events in the deep chill of winter across Canada to protest the looming war on Iraq. Events were held in over 30 communities across the country, big and small, from Yellowknife to Fredericton. The larger demonstrations across the country included 15-20,000 persons in Toronto, 20,000 in Vancouver, 25,000 in Montreal, 15,000 in Halifax, and 3000 in Ottawa, with smaller demonstrations in many other places. Canadians called on their government to end its support of US plans for war. Read: entire feature | Non-proliferation de la guerre - CMAQ | August 21, 2002 feature
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| NETHERLANDS: ANTIWAR REPORT | Jan 19 2003 |
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About one hundred civil inspectors gained access [ dutch ] to the grounds of Volkel military air base in the southeast of the Netherlands. They cut through the perimeter fence in several places at once. Some inspection teams even used their own keys to enter several gates at the base. Before the start of the inspections several padlocks were seemingly replaced by new ones. Most of them were arrested, but released later throughout the day. According to the investigations of several peace groups, there are weapons of mass destruction stored there under US supervision. The AntiWar Committee in Leiden, jointly with local
Moroccan organization Moultaqa, held its Dr. Martin
Luther King memory march
against the plans for war against Irak, against
racism, and for civil rights. Another action was
held in Rotterdam.
The Leiden demonstration included a call to support an
all Europe day of action for peace for the people of
Irak on Saturday, 15 February, with demonstrations in
all capitals of European countries, including
Amsterdam.
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| JAPAN: ANTIWAR REPORT | Jan 19 2003 |
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As part of the worldwide protest against war, thousands marched in Tokyo on Saturday, January 18. On a beautiful and very cold day, more than three thousand people gathered as some of the first participants in the global protest against the war in Iraq. The Koizumi administration is looking to assist the US and UK in the war, and to expand their military presence by dispatching the Self Defense Force (SDF) abroad. This is in contradiction with Article 9 of the Japanese constitution. Beginning with a music concert, the event included a peaceful march through the Ginza district before returning to Hibiya Park for more music, dance, and speeches by various national and international organisations. The closing ceremony was a surge of emotion as the Daiko drummers beat to the rallying crowd shouting "World Peace Now!"
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| UNITED KINGDOM: ANTIWAR REPORT | Jan 19 2003 |
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In London, anti-war campaigners protested and conducted civil disobedience at the Permanent Joint Headquarters of the British Armed Forces at Northwood, the command post for British rapid deployment forces. Over 150 activists took photos [ 1 ] of the base where the British military is planning war on Iraq, an action which is forbidden under the OSA, in an action titled Operation Internal Look. Nevertheless dozens of press journalists joined the activists, some of whom carried giant binoculars, cameras and telescopes in capturing images of the highly sensitive base, which is not even marked on street maps. A blockade of the base is planned in the coming days. Read: entire feature | January 17 feature
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| NEW ZEALAND: ANTIWAR REPORT | Jan 19 2003 |
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In the heart of summertime, more than 2000 people rallied [ 1 ] against war in Christchuch on Saturday,18 January. Demonstrators called on the New Zealand government to take a stand against war and sever its links with the US war machine. This was probably the largest antiwar event in New Zealand since the Vietnam War. Hundreds of persons marched in Dunedin, with many persons joining as it went along. Even twenty people rallied in the small city of Wanganui on Saturday. On Thursday, 16 January, Peace Action Wellington organised a twelve hour vigil at the US Embassy in Wellington to mark the twelfth anniversary of the start of the Gulf War. This was followed by a rally at the Cenotaph and a march to the US Embassy. About 200 people with banners, flags, and placards marched to the embassy, where red ribbons, flowers, and a US flag soaked in halal blood were tied to the railings.The protest was one of many being held this week throughout the country, co-ordinated by Peace Movement Aotearoa. The last round of anti-war actions in New Zealand were on December 14.
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Up to 500,000 people rallied in Washington DC on Saturday, January 18 to say no to war with Iraq [chronology] Speakers at the event evoked the memory of Martin Luther King in calling for a world without violence. Speakers also said that Bush was killing the American way of life in this war for oil. The event in DC was organized by the International ANSWER coaltion - read entire feature.
A massive anti-war protest was also held in San Francisco, calling, with estimates of crowd size ranging from 200-350,000 people [chronology][pics 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | overhead photos]. All age groups were in attendance, and people of all colors attended the convergence. A radical anti-capitalist breakaway march militantly marched through the financial center smashing windows and graffitting the San Francisco Chronicle building, the British Consulate, CitiCorp, the Immigration & Naturalization Service building [1 | video 1 | 2 ], Starbucks and Victoria's Secret [ 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | audio ]. There were two confirmed arrests.
In Portland, Oregon, at least 20,000 people gathered against a preemptive war against Iraq - read entire feature. Throughout America there were many smaller protests and anti-war events, illustrating the ongoing decline in support for the Bush administration and its policies.
Tens of thousands of people joined marches, demonstrations, rallies and over
30 events across Canada.. The larger demonstrations across the country included
15-20,000 persons in Toronto, 20,000 in Vancouver, 25,000 in Montreal, 15,000 in
Halifax, and 3000 in Ottawa, with smaller demonstrations in many other places -
read entire
feature.
About 10,000 people demonstrated
on Sunday, 19 January in Brussels. At
the end of the demonstration, the police arrested
Karim Hasoun of the Arab European League (AEL), who helped handle security at
the peaceful protests. There were also protests
on 13 January against US military transports in Antwerpen,
the main harbour used by the US military in Europe for transport to the Persian
Gulf region- read entire
feature
In the Netherlands
about one hundred civilian inspectors gained
access to the grounds of Volkel military. They cut through the perimeter
fence in several places and used
their own keys to enter several gates after padlocks were seemingly replaced by
new ones. Most of them were arrested,
but released later throughout the day. A Martin Luther King memory march
against the plans for war against Iraq was held in Leiden, while nother action
was held in Rotterdam.
Over three thousand marched in Tokyo
on Saturday, January 18. On a beautiful and very cold day, more than three
thousand people gathered as some of the first participants in the global protest
against the war in Iraq. More than 2000 people rallied
[1]
against war in Christchuch in New Zealand. Demonstrators called
on the New Zealand government to take a stand against war and sever its links
with the US war machine. This was probably the largest antiwar event
in New Zealand since the Vietnam War. The last
round of anti-war actions in New Zealand were on December 14.
Anti-war protests literally spanned the globe,
including demonstrations in Germany,
Ireland, Canada,
Australia,
Turkey,
Pakistan, Antarctica's
McMurdo Station. Plus Portland,
Ore, Yorba Linda, CA, Montpelier,
VT, Charlottesville,VA,
Madison,
WI Rockford,
Il, Albuquerque,
NM, Denton
County, TX, Salt
Lake City, UT, Spokane,
WA. Also see corporate news reports [1,
2, 3]
http://www.indybay.org/news/2003/01/1564119_comment.php
Overhead photo link list for those who want PROOF of the San Francisco rally-march size January 18 2003. Please distribute.
http://www.indybay.org/news/2003/01/1563976_comment.php
Local IMC J18 Feature Coverage. Long list of links to J18 features of many indymedia sites worldwide.
http://www.indybay.org/news/2003/01/1563432_comment.php
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