25,000 stage anti-Iraq War Protests in Washington, San Francisco

[leftchick]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/afp/20031025/ts_alt_afp/us_iraq_demo_031025221307

<snip>WASHINGTON (AFP) - Some 25,000 protesters rallied in US cities against the US-led occupation of Iraq (news - web sites), demanding troops be brought home and labeling President George W. Bush (news - web sites) a "liar."

More than 20,000 leftists marched in Washington as mounting concern over the growing toll on US forces and the cost of the occupation eroded popular support for the administration. They were confronted by a smaller group of war supporters.


And in San Francisco, more than 4,000 marched through the streets chanting "End the Occupation of Iraq" and carrying signs bearing slogans such as "Money for Schools, Not War."

[pezcore64]

1. OMG...

"More than 20,000 leftists"

LOL!
Whyd they use a word like that? How do they know they are leftist? Id say "americans" works better.

[flamingyouth]

3. I'm a proud leftist!

Woo Hoo!

[Zhade]

34. How long until they replace "leftist" with "terrorist"?

NT!

[Mokito]

44. 20,000 leftists

Not so much a 'marginal' group of society anymore as some want them be perceived, are they?

(Even if they are not all pronounced leftists)

[7th_Sephiroth]

47. honestly if i were at something like that

i wouldent go unarmed, those freepers freak me out

[ThomWV]

2. Nice Choice Of Words

Leftist, is it?

[LittleApple81]

4. If you watched it, you would know why they say that. Read some

of the threads here in DU.
I did not mind at all. Stridence is sometimes necessary to bring points accross, but even some DUers share the opinion of that news clip.

[Rose Siding]

5. Versus "war supporters"

If I had to choose, I'd go with leftest but the decision would be easier all around if it read "The seekers of peace were confronted by a smaller group of right wing ideologues"

[jokerman93]

8. Leftists! that is sooo 1940's

I can see it now:

Terror Condition RED:
Terrorists from Without!
Leftists from Within!

I guess this is the appropriate place to just come out and admit to the entire DU network what I've known secretly all my life:

I AM A LEFTIST!

There I said it! Whew!

*Shiver*

[leesa]

21. ...or mindless right wingers

[imax2268]

6. any links to pictures...?

that would be great to see some...

Found this on CNN
Thousands march in Washington against war

(snip)
For its part, the D.C. chapter of Free Republic, an independent grass-roots conservative group, gathered dozens of people at the U.S. Capitol to show support for Bush and the troops in Iraq.
(snip)

[qanda]

7. Just came back!

I had a wonderful time. I met some DUers there, but got separated from them because it was hard to keep up with my fairly young children. The thousand or so freepers (end sarcasm) were just delightful with signs like, "God hates you just the way you are." Way to go guys that will teach them about your faith. Absolutely pitiful!

Anyway, I think it was a very successful rally. To me it wasn't as radical as some of the ones in the past put on by ANSWER. The father of the slain soldier was by far one of the best speakers, I think the fact that this struggle is very personal makes a big difference.

[cosmicdot]

9. the D.C. chapter of Free Republic

I'm guessing this is them or a related group.

they seem to be 'stretching' things out (the evolving message, I guess), now, to include
one tyrant at a time

I don't see any adjunct signs suggesting we invade China next :shrug:


they traveled far and wide to be in DC

Ruben Israel, left, of Los Angeles, and Stephen James, right, of Somerset, Penn., heckle anti-war demonstrators as they march in Washington to protest the U.S. troops presence in Iraq (news - web sites) on Saturday, Oct. 25, 2003. The thousands strong march, labeled 'Bring the Troops Home Now, End the Occupation of Iraq,' was organized by the groups A.N.S.W.E.R. Coalition (Act Now To Stop War And Racism) and United For Peace And Justice. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

slide show here http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?p=news&g=events/iraq/082701iraqplane&i=index&e=1&tmpl=sl&ns=&l=&m=&c

just thought the following was interesting of Herr Wolfowitz

US Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz (R) looks at trainees from the Iraqi Civil Defense Corps (ICDC) point their weapons(AFP/Pool/Ivan Sekretarev)

[saigon68]

18. Look at the face of that little Fucker

He is a twisted dwarf

and a draft dodger too.

[diamond14]

39. they were yelling at us, cursing us, flinging threats at us...spewing

all kinds of hate at us...there was only a few of them, and thousands of us...all of those reTHUGlicans were real 'angry white males'...and they cursed our diverse group of old women, babies, veterans, mothers...they looked like such 'little men', bullying women and babies...

[leesa]

22. What a hateful, horrible god those guys worship!

And how God must despise them and their hate!

[raysr]

23. Wolf

It'd be better if the rifles were pointed at him!

[Zhade]

36. Hey, you with the gun - your real enemy is right in front of you.

ARREST THAT FUCKER FOR TREASON!

(Btw, WTF is up with the 'Trust Jesus' sign with all of the, you know, guns and bombs and all? Do these guys really believe that shit?)

[The_Casual_Observer]

45. Next time the protesters should be ready with a stack

Of sign up papers for the Army Reserves to hand out to all those patriotic freedom loving freepers.

[Le Taz Hot]

49. From Los Angeles and Somerset, PA

Hmmmm... perhaps this will put to bed the falacy that ALL Freepers come from Fresno.

[Cat Atomic]

10. LMAO- They mention Free Republic's "huge" counterprotest:

For its part, the D.C. chapter of Free Republic, an independent grass-roots conservative group, gathered dozens of people at the U.S. Capitol to show support for Bush and the troops in Iraq.

DOZENS?? Wow! That's certainly worthy of mention!

[0rganism]

12. They were Loud dozens

Just think if the freepers ever did make good on the threats to bring a thousand people to a protest. The stench from their legions of porta-potties would be overwhelming! And the DC cops would be so busy towing pickup trucks that they wouldn't have any time to pepper spray the "leftists".

[raysr]

24. More (?) violence

More passion or violence is needed. To quote the anarchists in Seattle at the WTO, "We're gonna F--k Sh-t Up!!"

[ldf]

25. "We're gonna F--k Sh-t Up!!"

No "We're" NOT!!!

we may have passion, but violence should not be a part of it.

[raysr]

26. Intensity

The rallies need to be more INTENCE. I've attended the one's in Bellingham WA and they're great but they're too passive. That's what the opposition wants is sheep. I'm not saying SDS stuff but more motivational speakers, turn up the pitch and volume. Make some big time noise, shake 'um up!!

[Zhade]

37. Might want to tone down the advocating violence thing.

I mean, I may or may not agree with you (generally, I dislike violence and hold it as a last resort), but it's not wise to go about carelessly suggesting it. Plus, I think it's against the board rules, which are designed to keep legal pressure off of the site in its entirety.

Just a friendly comment, not a slam. Cool?

[EdGy]

11. "dozens" for the war

excellent!

[diamond14]

41. near the end of the March, those reTHUGlicans were screaming

curses at us through a bull horn...then some started hitting older women with their signs, the police had to come in and pull them away...they are terrorists, bullies who hit women...angry angry white men full of hate...these are bush* main supporters...the typical Pat "nuke the U.S. State Department" Robertson, or Jerry "kill all Muslims" Falwell....

[shamanstar]

19. link to pictures of san fran

4,000 is not a correct number. they announced 20,000 at the stage.
http://groups.msn.com/yodablingbling/shoebox.msnw for a few pics.

[cpa]

51. Creepy Freepers

The creeps only attracted " dozens" and clearly were not on television nor were they a factor yesterday. The freepers are nuts.

[DebJ]

54. Wish I'd had a sign for them saying...

we are marching because we are defending YOUR right to stand on the corner and heckle us... we respect your right to free speech....don't you want to keep it???
I only saw about 15-20 people (around 3 pm near White House).
My friend noted that the police guarding these people looked like the heaviest SWAT Team guards available....

[cally]

13. Way more than 4,ooo in SF

I just got back. The protest went on for more than 10 blocks.

[xxqqqzme]

38. We know there were way

more than 4K in San Francisco. The local news is saying 20K.

[E_Zapata]

14. Rate the article people!

goodness - LEFTISTS. We have been downgraded from focus group to subversives! About darn time!

[Claire Beth]

32. regarding the term "leftist"

The article posted was from a European news source, so anyone who protests or goes against the reigning administration would be "viewed" as a leftist. In reading the article in the New York Times, you will find there were a variety of protesters and not just what *we* would consider a "leftist" ....
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/national/AP-War-Protests.html

[DebJ]

55. Thanks for great useful info...

[goforit]

15. A leftist is a badge of honor!!!!

FREEEEEDOM for ALLLL...except the corporate criminals!!!

[goforit]

16. I wonder how many republican mothers were marching!!!!

I'm sure more than one!!!

LOL!!!

[GreatCaesarsGhost]

17. tv4 news (nbc) in dc said 100,000 on mall

on 6pm news.

[leesa]

20. Leftists?? They looked and sounded like regular people to me

[Spazito]

27. Here is what Canadian News is saying regarding the march...

http://www.cbc.ca/stories/2003/10/25/peace_protests031025

[leftchick]

29. Thanks for the link Spazito

Excellent headline you see here in Amurika..."Bring Them Home Now!"

[Mokito]

35. Hilarious sign

Bush Bin Lyin !!! :evilgrin:

[pippin]

28. look how many bushites showed up

"Several hundreds of people from a conservative group also rallied in Washington to express their support for the war in Iraq . . .BUT

"tens of thousands rallied in Washington on Saturday to protest the US war in Iraq, demanding that the United States end its occupation of Iraq and withdraw its troops from there. "

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2003-10/26/content_1142785.htm

[Miramar]

30. This is the accounting of numbers was e-mailed to me by A.N.S.W.E.R

"The march and rally today in Washington DC was estimated by
march organizers to number 100,000.

This demonstration was a huge sucess, far exceeding
organizers expectations. Busses started arriving before 8
a.m. and kept coming all day with a large number of busses
arriving as late as 2 p.m. Throughout the day crowd
swelled and the march took up more than 20 city blocks,
including Washington's eight lane boulevards. A sister
action in San Francisco drew 20,000 people into the
streets demanding an end to the occupation of Iraq and
calling for troops to be brought home now."

[Voltaire99]

31. Thank you, leftist marchers

Kudos also to C-SPAN for its great ongoing coverage of dissent.

[piece sine]

33. it covers everybody...

what's wonderful about c-span is that it truly covers everybody. I turn up the volume when it has some it like and channel surf if THEY come on.

[diamond14]

43. C-span covers both sides, so because the freepers were stupid

enough to TRY to get a protest together...and it was meager...at one point, I saw 5 freepers...near the end of the March, there were maybe 12 freepers...that was all...loud and obnoxious...

but since they got their march covered too...C-span won't do anything else with their groups for now...nice...they cooked their own goose...

[cpa]

52. Freeper

The freepers are not smart or they would not be freepers.

[tlb]

40. Press says 20,000. Organizers say 100,000.

from C-Span I'd have to say it looks like the press is closer. This demonstration was a bust.

The nation as a whole was apathetic. They weren't watching, involved, or interested. Also as demonstrated by Al Sharpton and a death row convict being the BIG political names at the rally, no serious political players thought it worth missing the Sunday ball games for.

The small number of freepers may give some momentary pleasure, but I would note there are only a few thousand of them spread nationwide, same as there are only a few thousand members of DU spread nationwide. They had an excuse for a small turnout. What's ANSWERs.

[Nottingham]

42. Did anybody see the Grannies and their Song Georgy porgy

It was Hillarious :bounce:

[shamanstar]

46. yea!

it was very funny! i have some pics on my website of them and i have seen them on many other sites so far today, along with the aliens and the code pink slip hanging from the building. http://groups.msn.com/yodablingbling/shoebox.msnw

[leftchick]

48. Here is nice coverage of the march.....

from Aljazeera....http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/95551AC4-AFB5-4BDF-8FCC-D711791D337C.htm

<snip>
Tens of thousands of anti-war demonstrators marched in Washington on Saturday to express fierce opposition to the US-led occupation of Iraq.

With the Washington Monument looming in the background, people gathered before the march to hear dozens of speakers from various political and social walks of life denounce President Bush’s decision to go to war.

[formactv]

50. Worry

https://ssl.thenation.com/shop/alfredw.mhtml
https://ssl.thenation.com/shop/alfredw.mhtml
The shirts are perfect for protest.

[duhneece]

53. We marched in Alamogordo, NM-Home of the Stealth

and plan to rally once a month. Our local newspaper has been worthless, and this seems to be a way to keep our community talking.