BLTN - Oct 27 report&photos from Rome, Italy

[stephinrome]

As the October 27 mass demonstrations calling for an end to the occupation of Iraq and opposing military action against Iran were getting underway in 11 cities across the U.S, a solidarity protest was unfolding on the tourist-filled Piazza Navona in Rome, Italy.

Organized by U.S. Citizens for Peace & Justice - Rome and joined by Italian activists and groups such as Un ponte per... and Mondo senza guerre, the protest called attention to the enormous human costs of the ongoing tragedy in Iraq. Under the banner reading "OVER ONE MILLION CIVILIAN VICTIMS IN IRAQ," hung hundreds of white "remembrance ribbons" with names of Iraqis who have been killed. The ribbons represented only a fraction of the victims -- if we had made ribbons for all the victims, it would have stretched for 20 kilometers! -- but it was a way to keep the name of an innocent Iraqi alive. Tourists from all parts of the world as well as Italians stopped to add a ribbon to the display.

Carrying our signs and wearing stickers that said "No War on Iran!" we also attracted a steady stream of people to sign the two petitions opposing military action against Iran (dontattackiran.org and peace-action.org). Before even setting up, the signs had caught the eye of Ali, a young Iranian artist selling watercolors on the square, who thanked us and later came by to join us and sign the petitions.

Read full report at: http://www.peaceandjustice.it/oct27-post.php

Our banner on the square


Remembrance ribbons with names of Iraqi victims


Peace Now


More photos at: http://www.peaceandjustice.it/g-oct27.php