March 15: 10,000 Protest
Iraq War in Los Angeles
People Hit the Streets to Stop the War
On the 5th Anniversary of the Illegal Invasion of
Iraq
The March 15 march and rally in Los Angeles on
the 5th anniversary of the Iraq war showed that mass opposition to the criminal
war is still organized and strong. At least 10,000 people took to the streets
in a regional protest in LA to demand an immediate end to the war. That same
day, tens of thousands more marched in hundreds of cities across the United
States.
The action was initiated by the ANSWER Coalition
and built by a broad coalition of progressive organizations in LA. Hundreds of
additional organizations and individuals endorsed and supported the protest.
Demonstrators began gathering at Hollywood and Vine at 11 a.m. By 12 noon,
thousands of people were cheering for speakers and musicians at the opening
rally. Speakers from various organizations and music by Mojow and the Vibration
Army, Wil-B and Avis Harrell filled the area. As the marched stepped off,
thousands of people filled in behind the lead banners, chanting and waving signs
in the air. Former U.S. Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney, Vietnam vet Ron Kovic,
actor Mike Farrel and others helped lead the protest.
The march filled the six-lane street from
sidewalk to sidewalk on Hollywood Blvd. from Vine to Schrader--many blocks away.
During the march, people at the front of the march could see the marchers still
joining the action 7 blocks behind them. The demonstration was
overwhelmingly youthful, with students pouring into the march from hundreds of
Southern California schools. A large, militant contingent of over 200 young
people wore red shirts and marched together. Other students lined the front
banners, chanting "Iraq for Iraqis, troops out now!" and "Alto a
la guerra, stop the war!"
Once the marchers arrived at the main rally point
at Sunset and Cahuenga, at least 10,000 people stood at the CNN building.
Protesters chanted "CNN, can't you see? Put the peace march on TV!"
Despite strong, cold winds and scattered rain, many thousands stayed at the
rally site for hours.
The main rally was chaired by Jim Lafferty,
National Lawyers Guild and Interim General Manager of KPFK; Jennifer Caldwell,
ANSWER Coalition; Carlos Alvarez, coordinator of Youth & Student ANSWER; and
Christine Araquel, Alliance for Just and Lasting Peace in the Philippines. The
crowd heard known speakers and community organizers; musicians played anti-war
songs. Singer Tom English delivered a moving ballad for peace after Theresa
Bonpane, Office of the Americas, led a moment of silence for the 1 million Iraqi
dead and 4,000 U.S. soldiers killed in the war. Los Duggans and award-winning
filmmaker also performed portions of the multimedia anti-war performance piece
"Proving Ground."
It was a very large turnout; the biggest anti-war action in Southern California
since fall 2007, far exceeding organizers' expectations.
The
Anti-War Movement is the Real Story
The protest was covered by
major English- and Spanish-language media outlets in Los Angeles, California and
worldwide, including NBC, CBS, ABC, Fox News, AFP, UPI, LA Daily News, Telemundo,
Unavision, Azteca, La Opinon and other TV, print and radio media.
Although the LA march was a top news story
across the globe, the
Los Angeles Times' coverage of March 15 was shameful. It covered a tiny pro-war
rally in Washington, D.C. while only dedicating a small picture caption to a
protest of 10,000 people in the city they supposedly represent. We
encourage people angered by its terrible coverage to complain to the Times: call
213-237-5000 and write a letter to the editor, letters@latimes.com.
In addition, the LAPD
grossly undercounted the march, despite their stated policy not to give numbers
to the press. This, along with the LA Times coverage, is a deliberate attempt to
demoralize the anti-war movement--to make people who just participated in a
great and significant event feel like their voice was not counted. But these are
just the institutional and media mouthpieces of the pro-war establishment in
Washington. They want to silence the anti-war movement, a movement that can't
and won't be silenced.
In spite of these attempts to play down
the importance of March 15 in LA, news of the protest reached to all areas of
the United States and all continents in the world. The vast majority of people
in the U.S. are against the war and they heard our message loud and clear. All
of us who marched in LA on March 15 were part of a global day of action to stop
the war. The anti-war movement is the REAL story!
Congratulations and thanks to all who worked so hard to make March 15 a success,
especially the hundreds of dedicated volunteers. Buses, carpools and "peace
trains" came to the demonstration from across the Southland. Thousands of
people came from schools, places of worship and local community centers. The
demonstration marked an important step for the anti-war movement in LA and
across the country.
As Bush defends the war and Congress remains inactive, the people of the United
States are speaking loudly for an immediate end to the racist war on Iraq. We
are organized and we are fighting back. A
strong, united people’s movement can and will change history. That’s what
has always changed history. Let's continue to mobilize
and to struggle against the war in Iraq and the war on people at home.
Get involved with the ANSWER Coalition.
Stop the war! Bring the troops home now!
News coverage: AFP
UPI
The
Times Xinhua
LA rally speakers and rally
facilitators included:
Cynthia McKinney, former U.S.
Congresswoman, candidate for U.S. president
Ron Kovic, Vietnam vet, author "Born on the Forth of July"
Mahmud Ahmad, National Council of Arab
Americans
Greg Akili, African Americans Against the War
Gloria La Riva, Party for Socialism and Liberation, candidate for U.S.
president
Margaret Prescod, Global Women's Strike
Jim Lafferty, National Lawyers Guild, Interim General Manager of KPFK
Faith Santilla, GABRIELA Network
Mike Farrell, actor ("Mash")
Linda Sharp, Doctors 4 Peace
Malalai Joya, former member of Afghanistan's parliament
Sonali Kolhatkar, KPFK radio host
Blase & Theresa Bonpane, Office of the Americas
Shakeel Syed, Islamic Shura Council of Southern California
Sharaf Mowjood, Council on American-Islamic Relations, Southern California
Christine Araquel, Alliance for Just and Lasting Peace in the
Philippines
John Acevedo, ANSWER Coalition, U.S. Army veteran
Marylou Cabral, Youth & Student ANSWER, Cal State Long Beach student
Carlos Alvarez, Youth & Student ANSWER
Don White, Coalition for World Peace
Jennifer Caldwell, ANSWER Coalition
Kyle Petlock, Iraq Veterans Against
the War
Travis Wilkerson, award-winning filmmaker ("An Injury to One")
Anitra Wertzel, American Friends Service Committee
PLUS: Students from 20 different middle schools, high schools and colleges
Music by Los Duggans, Tom English, Mojow and the Vibration Army, Avis
Harrell and Wil-B
ANSWER
Coalition initiated the March 15 Los Angeles protest. Stop the War Coalition
members and endorsers: Paul Haggis, Academy award-winning director
("Crash," "In the Valley of Elah"); Cynthia McKinney, former
Congresswoman and U.S. presidential candidate; Gore Vidal, award-winning author,
playwright and activist; Mark Ruffalo, award-winning actor ("Zodiac");
Jackson Browne, legendary musician and songwriter; Ron Kovic, Vietnam veteran,
author Born on the 4th of July; Office of the Americas, National Council of Arab
Americans, United Teachers Los Angeles, ANSWER Coalition, Coalition for World
Peace, Addicted to War, Al-Awda Palestinian Right to Return Coalition, MEChA
Central Los Angeles, Latino Movement USA, Los Angeles County Federation of
Labor, Doctors 4 Peace, Bus Riders Union, CODO Verde/OC Greens, Hermandad
Mexicana Nacional, Just Peace, American Friends Service Committee, Alliance for
Just and Lasting Peace in the Philippines, Americans for a Department of Peace,
ANSWER Ventura County, World Can't Wait, Islamic Shura Council of Southern
California, Korean Americans for Peace, Council on American Islamic Relations,
Asians for Jericho and Mumia, Kill Radio, Be Love Project for Nonviolent
Resistance, Campaign to End Israeli Apartheid, Chicano Forums, Claremont Peace
Group, Clothing of the American Mind, Coalition Against Unnecessary Wars,
Committee in Solidarity with the People of El Salvador-LA, School of the
Americas Watch-LA, Committee in Solidarity with the People of Iran, Conspiracy
of Thought, Echo Park Community Coalition,
Comite Pro-Democracia en Mexico, Ecumenical Fellowship for Justice and Peace,
First Unitarian Church of Los Angeles, San Pedro Neighbors for Peace and
Justice, KmB Pro-People Youth, Free Iraq Now, Free Palestine Alliance, GABRIELA
Network, Global Women’s Strike, International Socialist Organization,
Koreatown Immigrant Workers Alliance, Laguna Beach Peace Vigil, Women in Black,
Bus Riders Union, Los Angeles Anarchist Black Cross Federation, Katrina
Survivors Network, Muslim Students Association-West, National Lawyers Guild,
L.A., Nikkei for Civil Rights and Redress, Palisadians for Peace, Muslim
American Society, Palestinian American Women’s Association, Patrick Henry
Democratic Club of America, Party for Socialism and Liberation, Peace and
Freedom Party, Peace and Justice Center of Pomona Valley, Peace Bakersfield,
Radical Teen Cheer, Riverside Area Peace and Justice Action, Southern California
Leadership Conference of Greater Los Angeles, Topanga Peace Alliance, Pomona
College Student of Color Alliance, Youth & Student ANSWER and hundreds of
others.
For more info call 213-251-1025 or email answerla@answerla.org.
Photos by Kelly Wine. Check answerla.org
for more photos in the coming days.
Donate today! We can’t do
it without your help.
The last three months have been an
intense period for anti-war organizing. Hundreds of volunteers give their time
everyday, but we can’t do it without the help of our donors. Help
the movement keep growing by making an urgently needed donation today by
clicking on this link.
A.N.S.W.E.R.
Coalition
Act Now to Stop War and End Racism
213-251-1025
http://www.answerla.org
answerla@answerla.org
137 N. Virgil Ave., #201
Los Angeles, CA 90004
Join us every Tuesday for the ANSWER activists meetings!