[Nasional-e] COAST-TO-COAST ACTIONS

Fri Sep 20 00:36:08 2002

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-------------------------
Via Workers World News Service
Reprinted from the Sept. 26, 2002
issue of Workers World newspaper
-------------------------

COAST-TO-COAST ACTIONS DEMAND: "NO NEW WAR=20
AGAINST IRAQ!"

Special to Workers World

According to the tabloids and television news programs,=20
every man, woman and child in the United States stands=20
behind Bush and the generals' plan to invade Iraq.

But activists at anti-war demonstrations and rallies held=20
across the country on Sept. 14-16 reported a very different=20
mood among passersby and motorists.

The protests, demanding "No war against Iraq," were called=20
by the International ANSWER coalition--Act Now to Stop War &=20
End Racism--and other groups.

The actions helped mobilize support for massive marches=20
planned for Oct. 26 in Washington, D.C., and San Francisco,=20
Calif. The anti-war demonstration has already received 1,000=20
endorsements, including by Dr. Hans von Sponek, former=20
director of the UN Oil for Food Program, SLAM--the Student=20
Liberation Action Movement, the San Francisco Labor Council=20
(AFL-CIO) and political prisoner Mumia Abu-Jamal.

THOUSANDS MARCH ON WEST COAST

Thousands of people marched and rallied in San Francisco,=20
Los Angeles, Oakland and Fresno on Sept. 14.

The San Francisco and Los Angeles demonstrations were both=20
called by ANSWER on short notice. But a march from San=20
Francisco's UN Plaza to Jefferson Square Park grew to 3,000.=20
They chanted, "Who're the biggest terrorists in the world=20
today? Bush, Cheney and the CIA!"

Motorists and Muni bus drivers honked their vehicle horns in=20
support; pedestrians cheered their approval.

Richard Mead, president of International Longshore &=20
Warehouse Union Local 10, told the crowd that the Bush=20
administration is using the war drive as an excuse to battle=20
the ILWU on behalf of port and shipping bosses. "This isn't=20
a war on terrorism," he said, "it's a war on the people."

"They tell us war is inevitable," Nancy Mitchell of ANSWER=20
said. "But when the people are in the streets, the real=20
debate is going to begin."

Police arrested Puerto Rican activists Jackie Santos and=20
Zulma Oliveras of Comite '98 at the opening rally after a=20
confrontation with a pro-war counter-demonstrator. Oliveras=20
was held on bail of $40,000 for more than 48 hours before=20
charges were dropped.

The San Francisco march received wide coverage in local and=20
national media.

Protesters in Los Angeles chanted "Money for health care,=20
not for war!" as they marched 2,000-strong through the=20
Westwood area to the Federal Building. Speakers contrasted a=20
$50 billion increase in the Pentagon budget with the=20
administration's refusal to give $350 million to save nine=20
clinics for poor people in Los Angeles.

Diverse signs and banners pointed out that people in the=20
Philippines, Colombia and Vieques are also endangered by=20
current U.S. war moves.

Anti-war organizers led by former U.S. Attorney General=20
Ramsey Clark held a meeting Sept. 14 at the Fashion=20
Institute of Technology in New York City.

Some 400 people attended this organizers' meeting. People=20
stood in the aisles as Clark and other members of a recent=20
U.S. peace delegation to Iraq discussed plans for building a=20
movement that could stop the war.

Clark told the overflow crowd, "It would be a mistake to=20
think that George Bush isn't going to attack Iraq, and he=20
will--unless opposition to it is so powerful that he doesn't=20
dare."

Speakers also included Johnnie Stevens, co-director of=20
Peoples Video Network, who shot footage during the trip; and=20
Brian Becker and Sara Flounders, both co-directors of the=20
International Action Center, which sponsored the meeting.

More than 200 people representing many groups gathered on=20
busy Woodward Ave. in Detroit Sept. 14. They marched for an=20
hour through the streets of a crowded annual art fair=20
chanting "No blood for oil, hands off Iraq!"

Demonstrations had also confronted Bush when he visited=20
Detroit on Sept. 9. He was picketed when he appeared at=20
downtown Cobo Hall for a photo-op in the morning.

ANSWER and the Michigan Emergency Committee Against the=20
War=20
on Iraq assembled at the Ambassador Bridge with anti-war=20
placards. Canadian Prime Minister Jacques Cretien's=20
motorcade had to pass right by the protesters on his way to=20
meet the U.S. president. Later the group took their=20
demonstration across the street from where Bush was=20
delivering his speech.

In Washington, D.C., Sept. 16, some 100 people picketed=20
outside the annual "arms bazaar" held by the military-
industrial complex. The featured speaker at this gathering=20
of vultures was Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld.

"The military industrial complex is holding this obscene=20
gathering to show off its weapons of mass destruction,"=20
declared Sarah Sloan of ANSWER. "Donald Rumsfeld is the Bush=20
administration's chief cheerleader for a new war against=20
Iraq. We're here to tell the masters of war: hell no!"

Activists maintained a picket line of more than 35 people=20
for hours Sept. 14 at Bidwell Parkway in downtown Buffalo,=20
N.Y., while distributing leaflets and other information=20
aimed at stopping a new war with Iraq. ANSWER organizers=20
said the turnout was especially significant because it came=20
just hours after the repressive atmosphere being whipped up=20
after the government roundup of Yemeni American men in=20
nearby Lackawanna began.

A group of Iraqi people joined the protest and thanked the=20
organizers for doing what they could to protect their=20
families in Iraq from a U.S. invasion.

At the same time, an ANSWER delegation picketed at the=20
Federal Court Building where five of the men were being=20
arraigned. They held signs demanding, "Stop the racist witch-
hunt."

In Rochester, N.Y., 200 people gathered in front of the=20
Federal Building Sept. 12 to say, "No new war against Iraq,=20
even with UN approval." The demonstration, called by local=20
community organization Metro Justice, drew support from a=20
half-dozen groups.

Then, on Sept. 14, about 25 people pro tested outside the=20
Immigration and Naturalization Service detention facility in=20
Batavia, N.Y., about halfway between Rochester and Buffalo.=20
Many Arab and South Asian people rounded up by the=20
government are being held there. Protesters demanded their=20
release and expressed solidarity with the communities under=20
attack by the Bush-Ashcroft Justice Department.

[With reports from Brenda Sandburg, Bill Hackwell, John=20
Catalinotto, David Sole, Adrian Garcia, Gene Clancy and Bev=20
Hiestand.]

- END -

(Copyright Workers World Service: Everyone is permitted to=20
copy and distribute verbatim copies of this document, but=20
changing it is not allowed. For more information contact=20
Workers World, 55 W. 17 St., NY, NY 10011; via e-mail:=20
ww@wwpublish.com. Subscribe wwnews-on@wwpublish.com.=20
Unsubscribe wwnews-off@wwpublish.com. Support the voice of=20
resistance http://www.workers.org/orders/donate.php)

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<DIV><FONT face=3D"Trebuchet MS" size=3D2><FONT face=3D"Times New Roman" =

size=3D3>------------------------- Via Workers World News =
Service Reprinted=20
from the Sept. 26, 2002 issue of Workers World=20
newspaper ------------------------- COAST-TO-COAST ACTIONS =
DEMAND: "NO=20
NEW WAR AGAINST IRAQ!" Special to Workers =
World According to=20
the tabloids and television news programs, every man, woman and =
child in the=20
United States stands behind Bush and the generals' plan to invade=20
Iraq. But activists at anti-war demonstrations and rallies held=20
 across the country on Sept. 14-16 reported a very different mood =
among=20
passersby and motorists. The protests, demanding "No war against =
Iraq,"=20
were called by the International ANSWER coalition--Act Now to Stop =
War &amp;=20
 End Racism--and other groups. The actions helped mobilize =
support for=20
massive marches planned for Oct. 26 in Washington, D.C., and San =
Francisco,=20
 Calif. The anti-war demonstration has already received 1,000=20
 endorsements, including by Dr. Hans von Sponek, former director =
of the=20
UN Oil for Food Program, SLAM--the Student Liberation Action =
Movement, the=20
San Francisco Labor Council (AFL-CIO) and political prisoner Mumia=20
Abu-Jamal. THOUSANDS MARCH ON WEST COAST Thousands of =
people=20
marched and rallied in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Oakland and =
Fresno on=20
Sept. 14. The San Francisco and Los Angeles demonstrations were =
both=20
 called by ANSWER on short notice. But a march from San =
 Francisco's UN=20
Plaza to Jefferson Square Park grew to 3,000. They chanted, "Who're =
the=20
biggest terrorists in the world today? Bush, Cheney and the=20
CIA!" Motorists and Muni bus drivers honked their vehicle horns =
in=20
 support; pedestrians cheered their approval. Richard Mead, =
president=20
of International Longshore &amp; Warehouse Union Local 10, told the =
crowd=20
that the Bush administration is using the war drive as an excuse to =
battle=20
 the ILWU on behalf of port and shipping bosses. "This isn't a =
war on=20
terrorism," he said, "it's a war on the people." "They tell us =
war is=20
inevitable," Nancy Mitchell of ANSWER said. "But when the people are =
in the=20
streets, the real debate is going to begin." Police arrested =
Puerto=20
Rican activists Jackie Santos and Zulma Oliveras of Comite '98 at =
the=20
opening rally after a confrontation with a pro-war =
counter-demonstrator.=20
Oliveras was held on bail of $40,000 for more than 48 hours before=20
 charges were dropped. The San Francisco march received wide =
coverage=20
in local and national media. Protesters in Los Angeles =
chanted "Money=20
for health care, not for war!" as they marched 2,000-strong through =
the=20
 Westwood area to the Federal Building. Speakers contrasted a $50 =
billion=20
increase in the Pentagon budget with the administration's refusal to =
give=20
$350 million to save nine clinics for poor people in Los=20
Angeles. Diverse signs and banners pointed out that people in the =

Philippines, Colombia and Vieques are also endangered by current =
U.S.=20
war moves. Anti-war organizers led by former U.S. Attorney =
General=20
 Ramsey Clark held a meeting Sept. 14 at the Fashion Institute of =

Technology in New York City. Some 400 people attended this =
organizers'=20
meeting. People stood in the aisles as Clark and other members of a =
recent=20
 U.S. peace delegation to Iraq discussed plans for building a =
 movement=20
that could stop the war. Clark told the overflow crowd, "It would =
be a=20
mistake to think that George Bush isn't going to attack Iraq, and he =

<BR>will--unless opposition to it is so powerful that he doesn't=20
<BR>dare."<BR><BR>Speakers also included Johnnie Stevens, co-director of =

Peoples Video Network, who shot footage during the trip; and =
 Brian=20
Becker and Sara Flounders, both co-directors of the International =
Action=20
Center, which sponsored the meeting. More than 200 people =
representing=20
many groups gathered on busy Woodward Ave. in Detroit Sept. 14. They =
marched=20
for an hour through the streets of a crowded annual art fair =
 chanting=20
"No blood for oil, hands off Iraq!" Demonstrations had also =
confronted=20
Bush when he visited Detroit on Sept. 9. He was picketed when he =
appeared at=20
 downtown Cobo Hall for a photo-op in the morning. ANSWER and =
the=20
Michigan Emergency Committee Against the War on Iraq assembled =
at the=20
Ambassador Bridge with anti-war placards. Canadian Prime Minister =
Jacques=20
Cretien's motorcade had to pass right by the protesters on his way =
to=20
 meet the U.S. president. Later the group took their =
 demonstration across=20
the street from where Bush was delivering his speech. In =
Washington,=20
D.C., Sept. 16, some 100 people picketed outside the annual "arms =
bazaar"=20
held by the military- industrial complex. The featured speaker at =
this=20
gathering of vultures was Secretary of Defense Donald =
Rumsfeld. "The=20
military industrial complex is holding this obscene gathering to =
show off=20
its weapons of mass destruction," declared Sarah Sloan of ANSWER. =
"Donald=20
Rumsfeld is the Bush administration's chief cheerleader for a new =
war=20
against Iraq. We're here to tell the masters of war: hell=20
no!" Activists maintained a picket line of more than 35 people =
 for=20
hours Sept. 14 at Bidwell Parkway in downtown Buffalo, N.Y., while=20
distributing leaflets and other information aimed at stopping a new =
war with=20
Iraq. ANSWER organizers said the turnout was especially significant =
because=20
it came just hours after the repressive atmosphere being whipped up=20
 after the government roundup of Yemeni American men in nearby =
Lackawanna=20
began. A group of Iraqi people joined the protest and thanked the =

organizers for doing what they could to protect their families =
in Iraq=20
from a U.S. invasion. At the same time, an ANSWER delegation =
picketed at=20
the Federal Court Building where five of the men were being =
 arraigned.=20
They held signs demanding, "Stop the racist witch- hunt." In=20
Rochester, N.Y., 200 people gathered in front of the Federal =
Building Sept.=20
12 to say, "No new war against Iraq, even with UN approval." The=20
demonstration, called by local community organization Metro Justice, =
drew=20
support from a half-dozen groups. Then, on Sept. 14, about 25 =
people=20
pro tested outside the Immigration and Naturalization Service =
detention=20
facility in Batavia, N.Y., about halfway between Rochester and =
Buffalo.=20
 Many Arab and South Asian people rounded up by the government =
are being=20
held there. Protesters demanded their release and expressed =
solidarity with=20
the communities under attack by the Bush-Ashcroft Justice=20
Department. [With reports from Brenda Sandburg, Bill Hackwell, =
John=20
 Catalinotto, David Sole, Adrian Garcia, Gene Clancy and Bev=20
 Hiestand.] - END - (Copyright Workers World Service: =
Everyone=20
is permitted to copy and distribute verbatim copies of this =
document, but=20
 changing it is not allowed. For more information contact Workers =
World,=20
55 W. 17 St., NY, NY 10011; via e-mail: <A=20
href=3D"mailto:ww@wwpublish.com">ww@wwpublish.com</A>.=20
Subscribe <A href=3D"mailto:wwnews-on@wwpublish.com"><FONT=20
face=3D"Times New Roman" =
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face=3D"Times New Roman" size=3D3>. Unsubscribe <A=20
href=3D"mailto:wwnews-off@wwpublish.com">wwnews-off@wwpublish.com</A>.=20
Support the voice of resistance <A=20
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