------------------------- Via Workers World News Service Reprinted from the Jan. 23, 2003 issue of Workers World newspaper -------------------------
LOS ANGELES: ANTI-WAR PROTEST BRINGS 30,000 INTO THE STREETS By Adrian Garcia Los Angeles On Jan. 11--with the Bush administration's war rhetoric against Iraq becoming more pronounced, menacing and bellicose, and with U.S. and British troop deployments to the Gulf region increasing day by day--the people of Los Angeles descended onto the streets by the tens of thousands to demand an immediate cessation to the immoral and illegal drive to war against the people of Iraq. Organizers, including those from International ANSWER--Act Now to Stop War & End Racism, estimated the number of marchers at more than 30,000, while the Los Angeles Police Department's estimate was 3,000. The photographs in the Los Angeles Times and La Opinion on Jan.12 tend to support the former estimate. The diversity of the crowd was clearly visible. Students ranging from grade school to university age participated in the protest. "I think it's bad for this country to have all this power, while other countries like Iraq are suffering," commented Carson High School student Joseph Kim as he joined a contingent of students in front of Los Angeles Trade Tech College. Elementary school students from East Los Angeles prominently displayed a banner that read: "Guerra No! Escuelas Si!" (No to war! Yes to schools!) The demonstrators also included families with strollers in tow, seniors, disabled resisters in wheelchairs, members of the different religious communities and a great number of first-time attendees to the anti-war movement. "I got tired of watching the news every day and becoming angry about the imminent war against Iraq," proclaimed Jose Lopez. "I felt I had to come out and take a stand against injustice." High-profile politicians and celebrities made their presence felt and proclaimed their solidarity with the movement. U.S. Rep. Maxine Waters defiantly expressed her disdain for the Bush administration's war- mongering policy: "I wanted to send a message back to Washington. I am not afraid of George W. Bush. I do not support a strike on Iraq! I do not support war anywhere!" Jackson Brown and Slash, former guitarist for Guns n' Roses, were among the musical talents lending their support to the growing anti-war movement. Actor David Clennon assured the crowd that "we are not alone" in this justifiable struggle. Clennon referred to two Scottish train drivers who recently refused to move a freight train carrying war materiel. Veteran actors and activists Ed Asner and Martin Sheen urged protesters to continue the fight to resist a new war against Iraq. Immediately after the first rally, the marchers proceeded north on Broadway amidst crowds of enthusiastic onlookers and workers. Immigrants from Central America and Mexico peered out of building windows and encouraged the crowd to make some noise. The march culminated in an equally electrifying second rally outside the doors of the downtown Los Angeles Federal Building--the site of recent immigration roundups and arrests of young boys and men from Middle Eastern countries, including Iran. The plight of immigrants and demands for their rights were at the forefront of the demonstration. Alicia Jrapko of the San Francisco office of the International Action Center spoke about the struggle to free five Cubans jailed in this country for trying to stop terrorist attacks on their country launched from the United States. And Jrapko commended immigrants for making their presence felt in the Jan. 11 protest. Richard Becker, West Coast regional director of the IAC and a member of the ANSWER coalition, one of the organizers of the event, summed up the exhilaration that filled the crowd of more than 30,000. "This demonstration is not only a victory for the people of Los Angeles. It is a victory for people all over the world who are opposed to a new war against Iraq," proclaimed Becker, prompting cheers from the crowd. Becker also urged those in attendance to continue the struggle by joining the Jan. 18 protests in San Francisco and Washington D.C. - END - (Copyright Workers World Service: Everyone is permitted to copy and distribute verbatim copies of this document, but changing it is not allowed. For more information contact Workers World, 55 W. 17 St., NY, NY 10011; via e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe wwnews- [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe [EMAIL PROTECTED] Support the voice of resistance http://www.workers.org/orders/donate.php) ------------------ This message is sent to you by Workers World News Service. To subscribe, E-mail to: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To unsubscribe, E-mail to: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To switch to the DIGEST mode, E-mail to <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Send administrative queries to <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
