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Originally posted by Reuters
Anti-Bush Protesters March in New York
NEW YORK - Demonstrators carrying colourful banners and signs have marched up one of New York's main avenues to protest President George W. Bush's policies over the Iraq war and the economy the day before the Republican convention opens.
The marchers, estimated by the United for Peace and Justice coalition to reach more than 200,000, were to pass the Madison Square Garden convention site on Eighth Avenue as Republicans and visitors converge on New York for the gathering that will end with Bush's renomination for president.
The start of the march took on a carnival atmosphere on Sunday with people carrying large banners, shouting "No More Bush" and beating drums. The heat and humidity pushed the temperature to almost 85 degrees Fahrenheit (29 Celsius).
Many held banners and signs such as "Say No to the War Economy," "Bush Must Go" and "Bush lied, thousands died" in opposition to the war. The Bush administration said it invaded Iraq to rid Saddam Hussein of weapons of mass destruction that threatened America's security but no stockpiles were found.
The circular route takes the marchers through central Manhattan and activists have vowed to defy a ban on rallying in Central Park, the city's largest open space, later in the day.
Protesters were denied a permit to gather in Central Park after the march on the grounds city officials feared damage to the grass. But organisers of some groups have urged people to make their way to the park for a "people's picnic" after dispersing peacefully at the end of the march. organisers and a series of prominent speakers including civil rights activist Jesse Jackson, film maker Michael Moore and some New York elected officials boosted the protesters with speeches before the start of the event.
CALL TO WITHDRAW TROOPS
"Today, we send our message," longtime activist Leslie Cagan said. "We come from all walks of life ... from cities and towns across this nation and together we will march and in a resounding, clear voice we will say no to the Bush agenda."
Cagan and other speakers called for the United States to immediately withdraw troops from Iraq.
Kelly Doherty, a military police sergeant who served in Iraq for a year and helped establish "Iraq Veterans Against the War," said Iraqis and Americans had been "dehumanised" by the conflict.
"This is also dehumanising United States troops who are also having their sense of patriotism and loyalty perverted and used by an administration that would send our women and men to fight, die and kill for lies," Doherty said.
Security around the arena has been called the tightest in the history of U.S. political events with thousands of police officers and Secret Service agents on guard.
Since Thursday, police have arrested more than 300 people in an array of demonstrations in which activists have stood naked in front of Madison Square Garden, swarmed central Manhattan in bicycles and solemnly rang bells at the World Trade Centre site destroyed in the September 11, 2001 attacks by Islamic militants.
Streets were closed and concrete barriers put in place to deter car or truck bombs amid warnings from the government that al Qaeda or other groups might attack the United States during the election season.
Sunday's march takes place as the 50,000 visitors come to New York for the four-day convention to nominate the president for a second term in the White House. He will face Democratic candidate Senator John Kerry of Massachusetts in the November election.
NEW YORK - Demonstrators carrying colourful banners and signs have marched up one of New York's main avenues to protest President George W. Bush's policies over the Iraq war and the economy the day before the Republican convention opens.
The marchers, estimated by the United for Peace and Justice coalition to reach more than 200,000, were to pass the Madison Square Garden convention site on Eighth Avenue as Republicans and visitors converge on New York for the gathering that will end with Bush's renomination for president.
The start of the march took on a carnival atmosphere on Sunday with people carrying large banners, shouting "No More Bush" and beating drums. The heat and humidity pushed the temperature to almost 85 degrees Fahrenheit (29 Celsius).
Many held banners and signs such as "Say No to the War Economy," "Bush Must Go" and "Bush lied, thousands died" in opposition to the war. The Bush administration said it invaded Iraq to rid Saddam Hussein of weapons of mass destruction that threatened America's security but no stockpiles were found.
The circular route takes the marchers through central Manhattan and activists have vowed to defy a ban on rallying in Central Park, the city's largest open space, later in the day.
Protesters were denied a permit to gather in Central Park after the march on the grounds city officials feared damage to the grass. But organisers of some groups have urged people to make their way to the park for a "people's picnic" after dispersing peacefully at the end of the march. organisers and a series of prominent speakers including civil rights activist Jesse Jackson, film maker Michael Moore and some New York elected officials boosted the protesters with speeches before the start of the event.
CALL TO WITHDRAW TROOPS
"Today, we send our message," longtime activist Leslie Cagan said. "We come from all walks of life ... from cities and towns across this nation and together we will march and in a resounding, clear voice we will say no to the Bush agenda."
Cagan and other speakers called for the United States to immediately withdraw troops from Iraq.
Kelly Doherty, a military police sergeant who served in Iraq for a year and helped establish "Iraq Veterans Against the War," said Iraqis and Americans had been "dehumanised" by the conflict.
"This is also dehumanising United States troops who are also having their sense of patriotism and loyalty perverted and used by an administration that would send our women and men to fight, die and kill for lies," Doherty said.
Security around the arena has been called the tightest in the history of U.S. political events with thousands of police officers and Secret Service agents on guard.
Since Thursday, police have arrested more than 300 people in an array of demonstrations in which activists have stood naked in front of Madison Square Garden, swarmed central Manhattan in bicycles and solemnly rang bells at the World Trade Centre site destroyed in the September 11, 2001 attacks by Islamic militants.
Streets were closed and concrete barriers put in place to deter car or truck bombs amid warnings from the government that al Qaeda or other groups might attack the United States during the election season.
Sunday's march takes place as the 50,000 visitors come to New York for the four-day convention to nominate the president for a second term in the White House. He will face Democratic candidate Senator John Kerry of Massachusetts in the November election.
Originally posted by AbcNews
No Major Violence Reported As More Than 100,000 Protesters Swarm Manhattan on Eve of RNC
Bearing flag-draped boxes resembling coffins and fly-swatters with President Bush's image, more than 100,000 protesters peacefully swarmed Manhattan's streets on the eve of the Republican National Convention to demand that President Bush be turned out of office.
There were no reports of major violence and about 100 scattered arrests.
Police gave no official crowd estimate, though one law enforcement official, speaking on condition of anonymity, put the crowd at 120,000; organizers claimed it was roughly 400,000.
The march snaked in a circular route around midtown Manhattan, shutting down dozens of blocks and bringing out hordes of police in a city already girded against terrorist attacks.
At its height, the march filled much of the route, forming an enormous horseshoe of dissent in the heart of an overwhelmingly Democratic city.
"They chose New York, where they're universally hated," said writer Laurie Russo, 41, of the New York borough of Queens. "They should have gone somewhere they're more welcome. They exploited 9-11 by having it in New York at this time."
In the largest set of arrests, some 50 protesters on bicycles who stopped near the parade route were carted away in an off-duty city bus. Also, 10 people were arrested after someone set a paper dragon float afire near Madison Square Garden, site of the convention, and nine demonstrators tried to prevent the arrest, authorities said. The nine were charged with assault.
"There's been a few minor arrests," Mayor Michael Bloomberg said. "It has been peaceful."
Residents leaned from windows along the demonstration route to shout their support. Scattered opposition was visible only around Madison Square Garden, where the GOP convention opens Monday. Some early convention arrivals looked across police lines as demonstrators jeered them, shouting: "Go home!"
"I hope this shows the world that they're not alone in their hatred of George Bush," said Alan Zelenki of Eugene, Ore., who planned for three months to attend this week's protests.
The causes varied as much as the people shouting support: immigrants' rights, gay rights, universal health care, the Palestinian cause, an end to the killing in Sudan. Tracy Blevins, a biomedical researcher who recently left New York for Houston, dyed her Maltese pink and carried the little dog in a baby pouch to advocate peace.
Some demonstrators batted around a 6-foot-wide inflatable globe. "Dump Junior now," said one sign. Another echoed Democratic nominee John Kerry's Vietnam-era remark: "How do you ask a soldier to be the last person to die for a lie?"
"It's to show the rest of the country that we're against the Republicans, and the rest of the world that George Bush doesn't represent everybody," said Mike Markel, 54, of the New York City suburb of Westchester.
The protest organizers, United for Peace and Justice, had sued unsuccessfully to force the city to allow a rally in Central Park. City officials said such a rally would damage lawns.
Earlier, "Fahrenheit 9-11" director Michael Moore told demonstrators that "the majority of this country opposes the war."
The majority never voted for the Bush administration," he said, "and the majority are here to say, `It's time to have our country back in our hands.'"
The protest followed several days of demonstrations throughout the city staged by an array of groups.
The most rancorous was Friday, when 264 people were arrested for disorderly conduct in a bicycle ride that snaked through the city and passed by Madison Square Garden.
Besides the United for Peace and Justice march, a number of other events were planned Sunday, including a gay rights demonstration and a vigil in Central Park by a group of Sept. 11 families opposed to the Iraq war.
Mayor Michael Bloomberg, in a radio address Sunday, acknowledged the intense feelings on both sides but said the convention was an important event for New York. He promised all-out efforts to ensure safety.
"We've put in place a security plan that is thorough, measured, and that protects the rights of convention-goers and protesters without unnecessarily getting in the way of New Yorkers as we go about our daily lives," Bloomberg said.
Bearing flag-draped boxes resembling coffins and fly-swatters with President Bush's image, more than 100,000 protesters peacefully swarmed Manhattan's streets on the eve of the Republican National Convention to demand that President Bush be turned out of office.
There were no reports of major violence and about 100 scattered arrests.
Police gave no official crowd estimate, though one law enforcement official, speaking on condition of anonymity, put the crowd at 120,000; organizers claimed it was roughly 400,000.
The march snaked in a circular route around midtown Manhattan, shutting down dozens of blocks and bringing out hordes of police in a city already girded against terrorist attacks.
At its height, the march filled much of the route, forming an enormous horseshoe of dissent in the heart of an overwhelmingly Democratic city.
"They chose New York, where they're universally hated," said writer Laurie Russo, 41, of the New York borough of Queens. "They should have gone somewhere they're more welcome. They exploited 9-11 by having it in New York at this time."
In the largest set of arrests, some 50 protesters on bicycles who stopped near the parade route were carted away in an off-duty city bus. Also, 10 people were arrested after someone set a paper dragon float afire near Madison Square Garden, site of the convention, and nine demonstrators tried to prevent the arrest, authorities said. The nine were charged with assault.
"There's been a few minor arrests," Mayor Michael Bloomberg said. "It has been peaceful."
Residents leaned from windows along the demonstration route to shout their support. Scattered opposition was visible only around Madison Square Garden, where the GOP convention opens Monday. Some early convention arrivals looked across police lines as demonstrators jeered them, shouting: "Go home!"
"I hope this shows the world that they're not alone in their hatred of George Bush," said Alan Zelenki of Eugene, Ore., who planned for three months to attend this week's protests.
The causes varied as much as the people shouting support: immigrants' rights, gay rights, universal health care, the Palestinian cause, an end to the killing in Sudan. Tracy Blevins, a biomedical researcher who recently left New York for Houston, dyed her Maltese pink and carried the little dog in a baby pouch to advocate peace.
Some demonstrators batted around a 6-foot-wide inflatable globe. "Dump Junior now," said one sign. Another echoed Democratic nominee John Kerry's Vietnam-era remark: "How do you ask a soldier to be the last person to die for a lie?"
"It's to show the rest of the country that we're against the Republicans, and the rest of the world that George Bush doesn't represent everybody," said Mike Markel, 54, of the New York City suburb of Westchester.
The protest organizers, United for Peace and Justice, had sued unsuccessfully to force the city to allow a rally in Central Park. City officials said such a rally would damage lawns.
Earlier, "Fahrenheit 9-11" director Michael Moore told demonstrators that "the majority of this country opposes the war."
The majority never voted for the Bush administration," he said, "and the majority are here to say, `It's time to have our country back in our hands.'"
The protest followed several days of demonstrations throughout the city staged by an array of groups.
The most rancorous was Friday, when 264 people were arrested for disorderly conduct in a bicycle ride that snaked through the city and passed by Madison Square Garden.
Besides the United for Peace and Justice march, a number of other events were planned Sunday, including a gay rights demonstration and a vigil in Central Park by a group of Sept. 11 families opposed to the Iraq war.
Mayor Michael Bloomberg, in a radio address Sunday, acknowledged the intense feelings on both sides but said the convention was an important event for New York. He promised all-out efforts to ensure safety.
"We've put in place a security plan that is thorough, measured, and that protects the rights of convention-goers and protesters without unnecessarily getting in the way of New Yorkers as we go about our daily lives," Bloomberg said.
Just wait for Election day... :wink:
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