March 20 Protest Against the War in Iraq

Report from Occupied New York City

New Yorkers greeted the start of the U.S. government bombing of Iraq with a demonstration in Times Square. On Thursday, March 20, at 5 pm, a few thousand people gathered in the heart of Manhattan. The demonstration covered 3 city streets. There were perhaps 10,000-15,000 people. It was raining. Protest signs and protesters were drenched. People had to stand in the metal pens set up by the police to restrict the movement of demonstrators. The demonstration lasted for several hours. There were high school students, college students, working people, retired people. A woman in a wheel chair sat in the rain with her sign. There were a number of children as well.

Free movement of the demonstrators was not permitted. Marchers had to stand inside the metal barriers set up by police. Or they could walk past the demonstration on the one sidewalk not blocked by the police. Police forced those on the sidewalk to keep moving. Only if protesters stood within the metal pens could they stand in one place.

The signs at the rally included "UN Resolution 377" "More Democracy", "No Concentration Camps for Iraqi People", "Jews Against the Occupation", "Mr Bush Who Let You Out of the Wax Museum", "War is a failure in Diplomacy not Human Spirit", "Not one more victim", "No flag large enough to hide the shame of killing innocent people", and "Congress, Where Are You?"

People at the rally spoke about how the Internet made the rally possible. Also people reported hearing of demonstrations around the world all day via the Internet. "You see the power of the Internet", commented one protester who worked on Wall Street.

After the Times Square rally, and despite the rain and the heavy police presence, a few hundred people got themselves to Union Square to continue the protest against the war, and against the attack on democracy in the US.

There is an anti-war demonstration planned for New York City on Saturday, March 22. March planners report that unlike February 15, police have granted a permit for this march. Also there is a teach-in planned at Columbia University on Wednesday, March 26, 2003.

In general, however, New Yorkers found soldiers or police all around the city from Wednesday night on. There are soldiers in the subways, police on the commuter trains and in the train and bus terminals. There are reports of vehicles being searched as they travel through the tunnels and use the bridges. Many New Yorkers feel worried about what effect this attack on Iraq will have on the people of Iraq, on the world, and on their own lives. A number of New Yorkers talk about how this increase in military and police presence in the city makes them feel less safe and more worried. The atmosphere of 9-11 is again being inflicted on the city via this war by the U.S. government on Iraq.

There is a somber mood in the city and many people feel attacked once again by this act of their government. Yet many New Yorkers also tell of their appreciation of the Internet and the news it brings them from friends and relatives around the world who are also upset by the war against Iraq. The world has changed. There is an optimism that there will be the means found to fight against this war by the fact that there are so many people opposed to it all over the world.