PEACENIKS - 1,000 protest in Chicago

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ChicSunTimes

October 8, 2001

Within hours of the U.S.-British attacks against Afghanistan on Sunday, nearly 1,000 protesters marched the streets and sidewalks of downtown Chicago.

Chanting ''No more war,'' ''No war in our name'' and ''Peace now,'' the protesters gathered at Buckingham Fountain before marching to the Dirksen Federal Building.

Many were peace activists; others represented Arab-American groups, pro-Palestinian coalitions, Socialists and the Green Party.

''We mourn the violence of Sept. 11,'' Mazher Ahmed, a practicing Muslim born in India, told the crowd.

''This is the darkest hour in our nation's history. How shall we respond? Not through retaliation that will only cause further hatred and damage.''

The event had been scheduled before American and British forces struck Taliban targets in Afghanistan.

Some protesters carried candles, while others wore American flags and tapped drums and tambourines. A handful wore masks and commando fatigues, uniforms similar to those worn by anti-globalization activists who battled police at World Trade Organization meetings last year in Seattle and, more recently, at this summer's G-8 conference in Genoa, Italy.

They argued that war on Osama bin Laden and his backers would be futile and result only in the deaths of innocent people. The protesters said that only a radical change in U.S. foreign policy could bring peace.

''The United States needs to stop meddling in the affairs of other countries,'' said Chris Geovanis, 42.

Dozens of onlookers jeered and yelled at the protesters. Others, including Bill Ririe, 70, stood silently and wondered how anyone could fault the United States for retaliating against the suicide attacks in New York and Washington.

''There are thousands and thousands of people dead in New York City, hundreds dead in Washington, and these protesters are concerned about a retaliation that seems pretty restrained, in my opinion,'' said Ririe. ''I just don't get it.''

Police reported no arrests or incidents related to the rally.

AP

-- Anonymous, October 08, 2001

Answers

"Nearly" 1000 out of a city of how many? I'd say that was clearly a minority. There was a little fuss here, too. About 60 students were protesting. Again, that's less than 100. I expect there to be voices raised in protest, for that's the nature of our society, but I'm heartend that there were so few of them making a public display.

-- Anonymous, October 08, 2001

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