No to the Bush Agenda - 8/29 RNC NYC rally, march, and Central Park

NEW YORK CITY (Aug 30, 2004) - Well over a half million people took the streets of New York City yesterday to deliver an undeniable “NO!” to the Bush Agenda.

Before the march, thousands jammed Union Square for a Not in Our Name kick-off rally that featured poet Saul Williams leading the crowd in the Pledge of Resistance. Michael Berg, whose son Nick Berg was beheaded in Iraq while working as a contractor, urged resistance in the face of endless war. Robina Niaz urged everyone to stand with and defend immigrant communities who have been under attack since 9-11. “History demands that we see each other in the park this afternoon” said Tanya Mayo, Not in Our Name national coordinator, from the stage.

The Not in Our Name Hawaii contingent joined the United for Peace and Justice march with a huge octopus puppet that symbolized the tentacles of the US Empire. A much photographed 20-foot Earth sphere was carried past Madison Square Garden, RNC headquarters, as well. All within a human sea of community anti-war groups, unions, youth, immigrants rights groups, civil rights organizations, and military veterans—including recent Iraq War veterans.

At the end of the official march route, thousands of “Pledge of Resistance (best read in the park)” cards where distributed as the marchers streamed through Union Square for over four hours. Many realized that we were not quite done making history just yet.

Despite the denial of a permit to rally in Central Park, and weeks of fear-mongering by the police, thousands gathered on the Great Lawn for what a visitor from London described as a “militant mill-about.” Hundreds spelled out numerous human “NO”s with their bodies—clearly seen by the media and police aerial surveillance. Bands jammed. Illegally large banners were displayed. Earth flags waved. On August 29, 2004 Central Park was transformed into a people’s park.