From Los Angeles to Chicago, San Francisco to New York
* Other City Protest Reports
The October 27 demonstrations represented another important step forward for
the anti-war movement in the United States.
Over 100,000 people took to the streets in coordinated regional and local
protests to demand an immediate end to the war in Iraq. The October 27
demonstrations took place just six weeks after the September 15 National March
and Die-In in Washington, D.C. that was led by Iraq War Veterans and family
members of soldiers and marines.
We have included below a brief summary from some of the events that took place
yesterday, along with some of the press coverage, including in depth
coverage of the
Anti-war sentiment is growing. The demonstrations yesterday, like the
September 15 March on Washington, were noteworthy for the large number of
young people - students and young workers - who are joining the front
ranks of the anti-war movement in the United States. The Arab American and
Muslim community was well represented. The participation of Iraq War Veterans
and their families continues to grow. The energy and spirit of the
demonstration is an indicator that the people of this country are fed up with
the criminal war and occupation of Iraq.
Everyday, the corporate-dominated media tries to convince people that the
anti-war movement is shrinking. That is a lie, as you can see from the reports
below. The same media lies to the people about the so-called progress made by
the “surge” in Iraq. The truth is that the U.S. military occupation of
Iraq cannot succeed. The Iraqi people insist on their right to determine their
own destiny. The people of the United States, who have no voice in either the
Republican or Democratic Parties or in the big business media, are determined
to find a way to end the war, which has taken hundreds of thousands of lives
and costs $3 billion each week.
The ANSWER Coalition, UFPJ and hundreds of other groups organized for the
October 27 protests. What is needed now is to intensify the mass organization
of the people. As it was in Vietnam, it will be the people, not the
politicians, who will bring this imperialist war to an end. Check the
from registering their opposition to the Iraq war in a major way, despite that
day's front-page Los Angeles Times article urging people to "stay
inside" because of bad air quality.
Crowd estimates ran from over 10,000 people to nearly 20,000. The march
spanned more than 5 blocks on Broadway and was densely packed across the whole
street and on the large sidewalks on both sides throughout. It was a huge
turnout; the fall's biggest anti-war action in Southern California by far.
The demonstration was overwhelmingly youthful, with students pouring into the
march from hundreds of Southern California schools. More than 250 people
joined the youth and student contingent organized by Youth & Student
ANSWER. Others lined the front banners, chanting "Iraq for Iraqis, troops
out now!" and "Alto a la guerra, stop the war!"
After the march, almost everyone present participated in a mass symbolic
Die-In. Ian Thompson of the ANSWER Coalition introduced the Die-In while
masses of people lay down. Thundering sound effects of air raids and bombs
exploding punctuated the action, followed by a solemn minute of silence for
the Iraqis and U.S. soldiers killed in the war. As protesters rose up after
the Die-In, all chanted "Stop the war!"
Preston Wood of ANSWER and Greg Akili of African Americans Against the War
spoke about the cost of war on people in the United States, urging everyone
present to become organizers in the anti-war movement. Muna Coobtee of the
National Council of Arab Americans spoke about the dire conditions facing
Iraqis due to the imperialist occupation.
Other speakers included actors Martin Sheen ("The West Wing"), Mike
Farrell ("MASH") and Mark Ruffalo ("Zodiac"). ANSWER
initiated the protest, which was organized by the Oct. 27 Stop the War
Coalition, a broad array of progressive, anti-war and social justice
organizations.
News coverage:
Ron Kovic, Vietnam vet, author "Born on the Forth of July"
Muna Coobtee, National Council of Arab Americans
Greg Akili, African Americans Against the War
Tim Kahlor and other members of Military Families Speak Out
Andy Griggs, United Teachers Los Angeles
Danny Park, Korean Americans for Peace
Farhad Nourzi, Muslim Student Association-West
Margaret Prescod, Global Women's Strike
Jim Lafferty, National Lawyers Guild
Juan Jose Gutierrez, Latino Movement USA
Mark Ruffalo, actor, speaking for World Can't Wait
Jollene Levid, GABRIELA Network
Joneric Concordia, Alliance for Just and Lasting Peace in the Philippines
Peter Thottam, LA National Impeachment Center
Marcy Winograd, Progressive Democrats of Los Angeles
Ian Thompson, ANSWER Coalition
Marylou Cabral, Youth & Student ANSWER, Cal State Long Beach
student
Lupita Dominguez, La Red de Resistencia Obradorista en California
Carlos Alvarez, National Committee to Free the Cuban Five
Marian Gordon, United for Peace and Justice
Music by Conspiracy of Thought, Bambu, Rebels to the Grain and the cast
of the musical Hair.
Seattle
In Chicago, tens of thousands marched. Organizers for the October 27
Mobilization Committee, the sponsoring group, estimated the crowd at 30,000.
The demonstration was the largest demonstration yet protesting the U.S. war
and occupation of Iraq to take place in Chicago. ANSWER organizers said at
least half of the participants were students and other young people. The
demonstration was very multinational with strong representation from the
African American community. There was a labor contingent from Service
Employees International Union (SEIU) and a smaller contingent from the
Teamsters Union. The ANSWER Coalition in Chicago had distributed tens of
thousands of flyers and posters to help mobilize for the demonstration.
For more info call 213-251-1025 or email
Act Now to Stop War and End Racism
137 N. Virgil Ave., #201
Los Angeles, CA 90004
Join us every Tuesday for the ANSWER activists meetings!