FOUR YEARS AGO TODAY - Feb. 15, 2003 "The Largest Anti-War Rally in History"

[Hissyspit]

Post idea by Decruiter.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/February_15,_2003_anti-war_protest

The February 15, 2003 anti-war protest was a coordinated day of protests across the world against the imminent invasion of Iraq. Millions of people protested in approximately 800 cities around the world. According to BBC News, between six and ten million people took part in protests in up to sixty countries over the weekend of the 15th and 16th; other estimates range from eight million to thirty million.

The biggest protests took place in Europe. The protest in Rome involved around 3 million people, and is listed in the 2004 Guinness Book of World Records as the largest anti-war rally in history. Opposition to the war was highest in the Middle East, although protests there were relatively small - Mainland China was the only major region not to see any protests...

The largest protests took place in the nation's largest cities including Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York City, but there were also smaller rallies in towns such as Gainesville, Georgia; Macomb, Illinois; and Juneau, Alaska, among scores of others.

In Colorado Springs, 4,000 protesters were dispersed with pepper spray, tear gas, tazers and batons. 34 were arrested on failure to disperse and other charges, and at least two protesters had to have hospital treatment...

NEW YORK CITY



Anti-war protesters gather on Third Avenue and 59th Street to protest a possible U.S. - led attack on Iraq Saturday, Feb 15, 2003, in New York. Demonstrations and protest marches against the war drew millions of people in cities around the world Saturday. (AP Photo/Adam Forgash)





http://www.drugwar.com/nyciraqprotest.shtm

"If the city officials of New York really were trying to stop people from marching against war on Iraq by refusing to issue a permit, and thought having U.S. District Judge Barbara S. Jones rule against allowing a march permit to be issued would stop marchers, they failed miserably. With figures ranging from a 100,000 guesstimate from an NYPD spokesperson, to attendee estimates of around 750,000, people young and old, of myriad nationalities, races and creeds, filled the streets of mid-town Manhattan today with a veritable carnival of civil disobedience for peace. Ignoring the court-ordered ban on marching, protestors exercised their Constitutional right to public protest, marching, telling Bush and the world in firm, loud voices that not all US citizens are blindly buying into any proposed pre-emptive strike and a subsequent war against Iraq, and will not be cowed into silence."



LONDON



Hundreds of thousands of anti-war demonstrators pack London's Piccadilly, Saturday Feb. 15, 2003, on their way to a rally in Hyde Park, to protest against a possible war with Iraq.(AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

http://www.commondreams.org/headlines03/0215-09.htm




Hundreds of thousands of protestors pack London's Piccadilly, Saturday, Feb. 15, 2003, as they march to Hyde Park for a rally against a possible war with Iraq. (AP Photo/Andrew Parsons)




http://subjunctive.net/klog/2006/03/




SEATTLE



Thousands of anti-war protesters march through downtown Seattle demonstrating against a possible war with Iraq, Saturday, Feb. 15, 2003. (AP Photo/Stevan Morgain) (February 15, 2003)
Credit: Associated Press

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/photos/photo.asp?PhotoID=18468



AMSTERDAM



Photo by John Hopewell. Anti-war Protest in Amsterdam, Netherlands on Saturday, February 15, 2003.

http://www.fragilecologies.com/feb18_03.html



MADRID



http://www.damer.com/pictures/digicamera/pix2003/03-BizTrips/03-02-15-Spain/Madrid-NoGuerra/page_01.htm





OSAKA



http://www.ewaosaka.org/eng/index.html

Melbourne, Australia, saw the first action with 100,000-200,000 kicking off the international days of protest. In New York City, 500,000 gathered, despite city and federal government attempts to ban the protest and limit the march route.

Protest numbers in other cities:
2 Million in London
2 Million in Rome
1.3 Million in Barcelona
800,000 in Madrid
500,000 in Berlin
400,000 in Paris
250,000 in San Francisco
250,000 in Sydney
200,000 in Damascus
150,000 in Montreal
100,000 in Adelaide
100,000 in Brisbane
100,000 in Dublin
100,000 in Glasgow
30,000-100,000 in Los Angeles
80,000 in Lisbon
60,000-75,000 in Seattle.
70,000 in Amsterdam
50,000 in Buenos Aires
50,000 in Montevideo
10,000 in Mexico City
6,000 in Tokyo
1,000 in Osaka



JAKARTA



Hundreds of thousands staged antiwar rallies around the world Saturday. This photo is from Reuters: “About 150 medical practitioners gathered outside the Australian embassy in Jakarta to protest.” Continue to protest the war at www.internationalanswer.org
http://www.artcodes.com/go/e/C6/P20/



ROME



Protesters fill St. John Lateran square during an anti-war rally in Rome, Saturday, Feb. 15, 2003. Millions of protesters around the world demonstrated Saturday against U.S. plans to attack Iraq. (AP Photo/Plinio Lepri)




Anti-war protesters march in front of Rome's ancient Colosseum during a demonstration against war on Iraq, February 15, 2003. To the sounds of marching bands and under a sea of rainbow peace banners, an estimated one million people marched through the streets of ancient Rome on Saturday to oppose the threat of war on Iraq. REUTERS/Alessia Pierdomenico

http://www.commondreams.org/headlines03/0215-10.htm








Three women with sons in the military sing "God Bless America" during a rally in Newton, Kansas, supporting action against Iraq.





The Bush administration's reaction that day to the world-wide protests?

"The White House said Saturday that President Bush is still hoping for a peaceful way to disarm Iraqi President Saddam Hussein..."

http://www.cnn.com/2003/US/02/15/sprj.irq.protests.main

[salin]

1. That last quote still burns ....

we *knew* that wasn't true - indeed we pulled the inspectors out prematurely - in order to 'get them out of harms way' (the reason given) but really in order to prevent a 'clean bill of health' and the danger to bushco to take away their given reason for the invasion.

And bush opines/whines why all this talk about invading Iran? As if we can't remember the last dog and pony show. The difference is the majority in this country is now familiar with the act - and isn't buying.

[EFerrari]

3. The only people really saying "Death to America" are the Rumsfeld

/ Cheney cronies -- like Halliburton who of the 67 water plants that service our armed forces, 63 were providing bad water, remember? That means GIs will go home with pathogens in their blood system that they don't even know about because whistleblowers were told to shut up by the Pentagram.

[salin]

7. I missed that story - horrible - and the DOD folks a) allowed it and b)

hushed it? Disgusting.

[EFerrari]

9. LINK is running a group of documentaries about the despoiling of Iraq

this morning.

BushCo supports our troops the way they support NOLA. Our service people will be dealing with horrendous health problems and on the very day we invaded Iraq, BushCo cut VA funding.

They are vampires.

[rodeodance]

2. the people were right and those in power ignored them.

[EFerrari]

4. I have a very hard time believing this was ever about Saddam or weapons.

This was about us funding BushCo's despoiling of our treasury and also, Iraq. Pretty neat trick to get your victims to pay you to victimize them.

[BleedingHeartPatriot]

5. A great music video, directed by Michael Moore, spotlighting the protests.

System of a Down...Boom.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=385&topic_id=7292#top

MKJ

[malaise]

6. I was at one of those rallies

in Jamaica

[Bonobo]

8. In retrospect...

I wish every one of those protesters had stormed OUR WHITE HOUSE and EXPLAINED to Smirky Bunnypants that he would have to leave, but was welcome to come back WHEN AND IF he got properly elected through legal means.

We had the power, we HAVE the power. Something better change soon.

[Hissyspit]

10. .

[sinkingfeeling]

11. Just about froze my butt off, standing on a street corner in Fayetteville, AR. We

had several hundred people and were able to line the 'main drag' through town for a couple of miles!

[northofdenali]

12. We all did what we possibly could -

This pResident and misAdministration had no intention of listening to anyone for any reason.

INVESTIGATE. IMPEACH. IMPRISON.

[Hissyspit]

13. I had actually not seen a lot of these pictures, 'Denali.

So it was enlightening to go back and revisit. I forgot to include one of the nudist protest in Florida.

[northofdenali]

14. That one was priceless -

we were wearing our parkas, Carhaarts, long johns and bunny boots! I think it was somewhere near 20 below.

I downloaded a lot of photos online, but had a crash and lost 'em, so these are heartwarming. Thanks for reminding us - :hug:

It's also my Anniversary!

[Hissyspit]

16. Happy Anniversary!

[northofdenali]

17. Thank you, sweetie!

Making Louisiana BBQ Shrimp, salad, baked potatoes, cheesecake, with a little Pinot Grigio and Coffee with Carolans.............. :hug:

[babylonsister]

15. Stop Bush. And the message remains the same 4 years later. Sigh. nt

[Decruiter]

18. Thank you HissySpit. You did a beautiful job.

I only just found your effort.

February 15, 2003 was an incredibly amazing day.

(I love the cartoon you keep, Help, Uncle Dick..Help..)

I hope this thread gets a little more attention today and that others will join in with their pics and memories.

We need to keep our history alive. When we get asked why we need to have some answers.

In Dallas we had the largest march ever. There were an estimated 5000 folks marching in downtown Dallas. There were activists that had been involved in different actions over the years going back 30 years to the civil rights movement joining us that day. They all said the same, the largest, most successful march ever in Dallas.

So my question is, how did so many of us know what our informed, elected representatives not know? Why were they fooled and millions around the world were not?

I guess history will tell us.

[Decruiter]

19. A kick to say thank you one more time. n/t

[Stephanie]

20. "Yes, but who knew? Nobody knew! We were ALL fooled by the bad intelli"

We JUST DIDN'T KNOW! EVERYBODY was fooled!

Well, everybody except THESE millions who protested. And the 23 Senators who voted against the IWR. And those like Scott Ritter & Will Pitt & Richard Clarke and Ray McGovern and... well... Everybody ELSE was fooled!

[Meat Stew]

21. Lotta good that did

:-(

[Decruiter]

22. Is anyone listening? Please can we remember the day millions

walked to stop war?

[me b zola]

23. kicking for people power!

Beautiful post, Hissyspit :toast: