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THOUSANDS IN NYC PROTEST BUSH’S
DRIVE FOR WAR
By Jessica Tara
Smith
Millions of people gathered in more than 350 cities around the world to protest President George W. Bush’s push for war with Iraq.
Seas of people descended on the nearest major cities Feb. 15, 2003 to attend rallies or to speak out about their position regarding military conflict in front of American embassies.
New York City saw waves of placard waving protesters marching down First Avenue to attend the rally of celebrity speakers while more on ancillary streets were blocked off by barricades and police force, preventing them from attending the rally themselves.
Organizers claimed an attendance of 400,000 while police commissioner Raymond W. Kelly put the number at 100,000. Greg Paris, a Marist college student who participated in the protest, estimated that a number somewhere in between is more probable. Paris was among the protesters prevented from joining the rally, barricaded on a side street.
There was a lot of diversity among those who attended the protest including union representatives, members of the NAACP, college students, even nuns.
Paris describes the atmosphere as energetic. “If you didn’t see the signs or ignored the chants you would’ve thought it was an early Mardi-Gras party taking over Manhattan,” he said.
Signs ranging in size and creativity depicted some digital pictures including some like Bush and Tony Blair kissing and “Draft the Bush Twins.” Crowds chanted, “We don’t want your Oil War” to “What do we want? PEACE! When do we want it? NOW!”
For the massive crowd who were present at the rally, about three hundred were arrested, most for disorderly conduct. As commissioner Kelly told the New York Times, “I think it went well. For the number of people here, it was orderly.”
Paris noted, “They (police) clearly didn’t anticipate the crowds.”
Across the Atlantic, about a hundred thousand French protesters gathered in the streets of Paris. Craig S. Smith of the New York Times described the demonstration as a “party with a purpose.” The crowds were accompanied not only by posters and banners but with food vendors and much festivity.
Even there diversity among attendants was wide from union members, fathers, well dressed women, to students in costume. Despite the cheerful, peaceful atmosphere, the Parisians had joined their voice to the message of millions of others in calling for a reasonable alternative to war.
More than 1.5 million Europeans marched for peace Alan Cowell of the New York Times said. To date, it was the largest peace demonstration coordinated in the Continent’s history.
Joanna Michnowicz, a college student in Poland said many young people protested in front of the American Embassy located in the country’s capital, Warsaw. The protest was peaceful and positive.
Michnowicz said the general belief among Europeans regarding President Bush’s push for war against Iraq is to “take charge of Iraq’s oil, making America much more powerful.”
Poland has been criticized by the French government for pledging to aid America should the country go to war with Iraq. Poland is a member of NATO and should NATO ally with America, so shall Poland.
In total, an estimated 11 million people around the world attended rallies and protests becoming the largest single day of protest in history reported Tom Lash of the Coastal Convergence Society.
England saw protesters invade Hyde Park and London, passing the residence of President Bush’s most steadfast and committed ally in the push for forcible disarming Iraq, Prime Minister Tony Blair.
Peace demonstrations were held in South America, Africa, Australia, Asia, and even in many Arab countries regardless of the existing restrictions on political expression. Al Jazeera, the Qatar-based satellite news network, reports thousands of people marched in the capitals of Syria, Lebanon, Egypt, Jordan, Morocco and Pakistan.
Generally, the crowds were animated and passionate with few instances of violence or misconduct.
Michael Callandrillo, a teacher from Dover, N.J. told the Times that this rally had a positive feel to it. “People are informed, people are passionate. People don’t want trouble. They just want to be heard.”
Unfortunately, Blair and Bush said that although they “respected the views” of demonstrators in the protest, the worldwide consensus for peace did not affect their policy or attitude towards dealing with Iraq.
Blair said the only way Iraqi President Saddam Hussein can prevent military conflict is to cooperate and fulfill his obligations as set by the United Nation.