Thousands of anti-war protesters take to Los Angeles streets

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Monday, March 22, 2004

Thousands of anti-war protesters take to Los Angeles streets

Thousands of drum-beating and placard-wielding anti-war demonstrators took to Hollywood streets Saturday, protesting US occupation of Iraq and calling for an immediate withdrawal.

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Thousands of drum-beating and placard-wielding anti-war demonstrators took to Hollywood streets Saturday, protesting US occupation of Iraq and calling for an immediate withdrawal.

The protest came on the first anniversary of the US invasion ofIraq, amid resonance of similar protests from across the US as well as the world.

"We want to end the occupation in Iraq. We are fed up with the killings there. We don't want our children be used as cannon fodder," said Ruth Todasco, a Los Angeles resident. She held a placard, which reads "Women Say No Military/Corporate Occupation. Invest in Caring not Killing!"

Dan Tharra from La Mirada of California said he came with his wife and 12-year-old daughter, because they want to stop the killing.

"We've been there over a year, and I'm in shock and awe that weare still there," protester Kerry Washington said. "There's no reason for us to be there. Every other country is pulling out and we should start listening to the world instead of trying to run it."

"We've been lied to and deceived as American people and we demand impeachment -- we deserve a trial," demonstrator Nicole O' Neal said.

Jean Moore, a 68-year-old woman from Los Angeles, said the BushAdministration wants to control Iraq oil, but she wants to stop the war. "Sick of Lies, Sick of Greed, Sick of George," a poster behind her reads.

The demonstrators walked through the Hollywood Blvd and Highland Ave. before rallying in front of the Kodak Theater. US Congresswoman Maxine Waters also joined the rally. She urged people to vote President Bush out of office. "For as long as he'sin office, he and (Vice President Dick) Cheney and (Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul) Wolfowitz and (Secretary of Defense Donald) Rumsfeld -- all of that crowd -- will continue to push foroccupation."

Page Getz, press coordinator for ANSWER, organizer of the march,said some 20,000 people joined the protest, though police put the number at only several thousands.

Local radio station KNX said about 6,000 people had joined the rally by mid-afternoon.

"We want to speak out. We must stop the occupation of Iraq, Afghanistan, Haiti and elsewhere," Getz said. "The situation in Iraq is getting worse. We have lost about 500 lives on our side, not to speak of the thousands of thousands of Iraqi people. The situation is not going to get better."

The demonstration was mostly peaceful, but officers made arrests for minor crimes, said Los Angeles police Officer Don Cox of Media Relations.

A small group of supporters of the Bush administration's policies in Iraq also demonstrated Saturday in Hollywood. But the two crowds were separated by a line of police officers.

Source: Xinhua

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