Massive March in NYC vs. Iraq War
New York, NY - People from all walks of life - veterans, families, grandmothers and students - marched here, April 29, to voice opposition to the occupation of Iraq. Stretching for miles across Manhattan, hundreds of thousands of protesters could be heard chanting slogans like, “U.S. out now!” or holding signs saying, “Bring the troops home now!” Military families held photos of soldiers currently in Iraq. Iraq Veterans Against the War made impromptu, moving speeches about the time they served in Iraq and why they are against the war.
“Sometimes I feel like North Americans are growing apathetic about the war. Demonstrations like this show that that’s simply not true. Nobody can believe that after they see hundreds of thousands of passionate and committed people from across the country come together. Seeing this amount of energy gives me hope that the people will be able to put real pressure on the Bush administration to end this war!” said North Carolina student activist Chapin Gray.
The size and scope of this anti-war demonstration, including the large labor contingent, shows a growing number of people are resolutely against the occupation of Iraq. “I think it’s important that the anti-war forces continue to show their importance in the streets. It’s necessary that people continue to educate themselves and each other, and that they mobilize and keep a continued presence. It’s important that people not get demoralized by the fact that the war hasn’t stopped yet and continued national demonstrations are a big part of this,” said New York labor activist Dan Wilson.
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