More than one million anti-war protesters poured into the streets of cities around the world on Saturday's anniversary of the US-led invasion of Iraq, urging an end to the occupation of the country.
From Sydney to Tokyo, from Santiago, Chile, to Madrid, London, New York and San Francisco, demonstrators condemned US policy toward Iraq and said they did not believe the world would be safer because of the war.
Organizers said about one million people participated in Saturday's huge parade in Rome, making it probably the biggest single protest.
In London, more than 25,000 protesters marched from Hyde Park through central London, shouting anti-war slogans to air their anger at US President George W. Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair, his main war ally.
Earlier, two Greenpeace activists evaded security to climb the landmark Big Ben clock tower at the House of Parliament, unfurling a banner reading "Time for Truth."
In Paris, some 10,000 protesters marched from the Bastille Square to the Chatelet Square, under the banner which reads "All for peace and justice, democracy and law." The organizers said the protest is to "say no to wars, terrorist attacks and violence against the people."
Thousands of German protesters held rallies outside American military bases in the country, protesting against the US policy toward Iraq and demanding immediate withdrawal of American troops from Iraq.
Concern over the war has been most evident in Spain, where thousands demonstrated a week after voting out the conservative government that sent troops to Iraq. Many Spaniards blamed Madrid's support for the war for the March 11 train bombs, blamed on Islamic militants, which killed 202 people.
Thousands of protesters marched in an evening rally in Madrid that featured a large banner with a black sash, Spain's symbol of mourning for the rail bombings.
"End the occupation. Bring the troops home," it said.
Anti-American feelings ran high in Cairo, where demonstrators burned US flags. Hundreds of people gathered in other Middle East capitals to denounce the war.
New York witnessed the largest protest in the United States, with organizers estimating up to 100,000 protesters went to the streets in protest of President Bush's decision to rush US troops into the war.
Carrying signs that read "Occupation in Iraq wrong," "Stop Mad cowboy Disease," and "Not One More Delay, Not One More Death, Not One More Deception," demonstrators marched through New York streets, chanting anti-war slogans. Some carried mock coffins, and others had paper cranes in hand that symbolize peace.
In Crawford, Texas, about 900 anti-war activists gathered at a park near President Bush's ranch. The T-shirt of choice read:" Crawford Texas, Bring your village idiot home."
Anti-war protests were also held in San Francisco, Pittsburgh, Chicago and other US cities.
In Australia, thousands of peace protesters joined worldwide demonstrations by holding rallies or marching through streets in main cities. About 6,000 demonstrators in Sydney, including many Muslims, marched on the streets chanting anti-war slogans.
As many as 30,000 people turned out in Tokyo to protest Japan's involvement in the war, organizers there said. The country has sent 1,000 personnel to Iraq, its largest foreign deployment since the World War II.
Some 10,000 South Korean protesters held anti-war rallies in Seoul, bearing the posters that read "Stop War," "Withdraw South Korean Troops from Iraq" and "US Withdrawal from Iraq." Some demonstrators also delivered anti-war materials to passers-by.
Rallies also took place in some Latin American countries, including Brazil, Cuba and Chile.
(Xinhua News Agency March 21, 2004)
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