Long Beach 1,000 PEOPLE MARCH!!!!

In Long Beach yesterday ATLEAST 1,000 people were marching together at the heighth of the march. Organizers beforehand guessed only 500 would come out to the march but it was more then double that. Hatred against the war and the bush administration runs high in long beach.

The march was filled with families,environmentalists, students, and union workers. People carried puppets and Bush War Monger signs. An elementary school student read her poem and talked about Iraqi children. Community Activists, union local leaders, and some city counsel members (who are supposedly against the war) spoke. We are somewhat skeptical of opportunistic politicans like this who have never done anything to combat police brutaliy in our city. Police presence was tight the whole time but did not attempt anything like they have on past protests.



PRES TELEGRAM ARTICLE:

Protesters march in L.B.
War: More than 1,000 gather at park to speak against conflict with Iraq.
By David Rogers, Staff writer

LONG BEACH More than 1,000 people at Lincoln Park joined protesters around the world Saturday afternoon to oppose a possible war against Iraq.

Waving signs and chanting slogans like "No blood for oil' and "War is not the answer,' protesters marched from the downtown Promenade to the park, where speakers addressed the rally using a solar powered public address system.

"Remember, you are standing up with millions and millions of people around the world,' said Chris Fox of the Long Beach Area Peace Network, which organized the demonstration.

Sgt. Paul LeBaron of the Long Beach Police Department said about 1,250 people were at the protest, while organizers estimated the crowd at about 1,500.

Long Beach City Council members Tonia Reyes Uranga and Bonnie Lowenthal spoke to lend their support against an Iraq war, and said they may ask the council to adopt an antiwar resolution.

"It's important to be supportive of our men and women (who have been deployed),' Lowenthal said. "At the same time, we can push for negotiation and support for the United Nations.'

Uranga said she may propose a resolution if the state adopts a similar resolution proposed by Assemblyman Alan Lowenthal. About 55 local governments around the U.S. have passed resolutions against a war.

Some marchers and speakers said they wanted to give United Nations weapons inspectors more time to find weapons of mass destruction in Iraq.

"I'm not a pacifist, but I think we should be working with the international community,' instead of arguing with allies, said John Sinclair of Long Beach.

Others stressed they felt a war against Iraq would be primarily about oil.

"What is different in Iraq that is different (than before)? Oil, that's the difference!,' said Ray Cordova, a Vietnam veteran who said he's been arrested more than 30 times during protests.

Marilyn DeWitt of Seal Beach said she believes Iraq "isn't an imminent threat.'

"I don't think there's any justification for (a war),' she said. "We're not using war as a last resort. We're looking for a reason to get the oil.'

The Long Beach protest was one of about 500 held around the world Saturday.

In London, at least 750,000 people joined that city's biggest demonstration ever, while about 100,000 demonstrated in New York. Rome had the largest turnout Saturday, where police said about 1 million demonstrated.

An estimated 30,000 people participated in a demonstration in Hollywood, according to Lucy Diaz of the Los Angeles Police Department's media relations office.

Other rallies in California were also held in Sacramento, Santa Monica, Santa Barbara, San Diego, Orange and Palm Desert.

In Seal Beach, a small group marched and held a rally "to show their support for the troops and the president, that we stand behind (them), whatever they decide to do,' said organizer Mike Cadletz of Proud Americans. Cadletz said about 120 people walked with the group, while Seal Beach police Sgt. Rick Ransdell said 25 people were at the rally and five protested against it.

The Associated Press and City News Service contributed to this report.