Thousands turn out in Europe to protest war against Iraq
BERLIN (AP) - Demanding an end to threats of an "unjustified'' war against Iraq, tens of thousands of demonstrators gathered in cities across Europe, the United States and beyond for a show of opposition to U.S. President George W. Bush's policy toward Baghdad.
In Berlin, crowds of people brandishing placards that declared "War on the imperialist war,'' "Stop Bush's campaign'' and "No blood for oil,'' along with a few Iraqi and Palestinian flags, converged Saturday on the downtown Alexanderplatz square and marched past the German Foreign Ministry.
Police estimated that up to 8,000 people took part in damp, windy weather, while organizers put the number at 30,000.
No trouble was reported.
Some 2,000 people turned out in Frankfurt, and hundreds in Stuttgart, Hamburg, and Bremen, according to police, while another 1,500 rain-soaked demonstrators gathered under umbrellas outside the U.S. Embassy in Copenhagen, Denmark and more than 1,000 hit the streets in Stockholm, Sweden. The marches were planned by anti-war activists to coincide with protests in Washington and San Francisco.
In the U.S. capital, tens of thousands of anti-war protesters circled the White House after the Rev. Jesse Jackson and other speakers denounced the Bush administration's Iraq policies and demanded a revolt at the ballot box to promote peace.
"If we launch a pre-emptive strike on Iraq we lose all moral authority,'' Jackson told the chanting, cheering throng spread out on green lawns near the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.
On a nearby street corner, a handful of Iraqi-Americans staged a counterdemonstration.
Aziz al-Taee, spokesman for the Iraqi-American Council, said, "I think America is doing just fine. ... We think every day Saddam stays in power, he kills more Iraqis.''
Closely watched by police in anti-riot gear, a few thousand people marched in downtown Rome in a protest that also was attended by some opposition politicians. Two police helicopters hovered above the marchers.
"We're aware that war and terrorism feed each other,'' Paolo Cento, a lawmaker for Italy's Greens party, said of his opposition to a war against Iraq.
As many as 5,000 people gathered in the rain in Amsterdam's central square, with banners including one that read: "The biggest lunatic isn't in Baghdad, he's in Washington.''
"The people of Iraq must decide their future,'' said demonstrator Renas Arif, an Iraqi living in the Netherlands, who said he opposed both Saddam and a strike against him.
In Baghdad itself, American anti-war activists protested in front of U.N. offices, urging the U.N. Security Council not to give Bush a blank check for war against Iraq.
Six members of the Chicago-based Voices in the Wilderness raised banners including "Drop sanctions not bombs.''
In Tokyo, about 300 Japanese staged a "peace walk,'' holding up placards urging governments to "stop the war before it starts.''
The United States, backed by Britain, wants tough new rules for U.N. weapons inspections and a declaration from the Security Council that Iraq faces "serious consequences'' if it fails to comply.
However, Russia wants to stick as closely as possible to current inspection rules and eliminate any language that could allow an attack on Baghdad. France also opposes any language possibly authorizing military action and wants to water down some U.S. inspection proposals.
"We say to President Bush: there is no reason for this war,'' pacifist German lawmaker Hans-Christian Stroebele told the crowd in Berlin, drawing cheers as he added: "This war is unjustified.''
Saturday's were the first major demonstrations in Germany in recent months against the prospect of military action against Iraq, which has been staunchly opposed by Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder.
"I expect the government at least to stick to that,'' said Susanne Roessling, 41, an employee at a legal firm.
Schroeder has argued that a strike against Baghdad could wreck the international anti-terror coalition and throw the Middle East into turmoil, and says Germany would not participate.
That stance is credited with helping Schroeder narrowly win re-election last month, and led to a cooling in relations between Berlin and Washington.
"Saddam Hussein is one of the absolutely worst dictators in the world today ... but that doesn't justify the U.S.A.'s war plans,'' Gudrun Schyman, leader of Sweden's former communist Left Party, told the crowd in Stockholm.
"You don't disarm a regime by conducting an armed war.''
In San Francisco, demonstrators stretched about a mile (1 1/2 kilometer) as they marched from the financial district to City Hall, carrying placards that read, "Money for jobs, not for war'' and "No blood for oil.''
Young punk rockers with mohawks, aging hippies and middle-aged couples with children all took part, chanting, "One, two, three, four, we don't want your racist war.'' - AP
News Poll
- Court ruling takes bite out of local council summonses
- Chin Peng apologises for death of innocents
- Girl and stepmum held over bid to kill first wife
- Biggest karaoke session a blast
- New evidence on MCA snoop squad case arrives at doorstep
- Teoh's second autopsy completed 3.15pm
- Victim’s dad nabs kidnapper
- Teoh’s body exhumed for second autopsy today
- Foreigner falls to her death from condominium
- Malaysians must get regular dental checks
- Court ruling takes bite out of local council summonses
- Chin Peng apologises for death of innocents
- Malaysians must get regular dental checks
- No licence to try offenders
- Big impact in ‘small’ man’s win
- New evidence on MCA snoop squad case arrives at doorstep
- Stop blanket approval for outsourcing, says union
- Weapons drawn for new battle
- Johor set to be a medical hub
- Joy for 2,500 housebuyers as SPNB takes over project
RSS
