Washington, DC, Mass March and Anti-War Rally September 24, 2005

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The Washington, DC, Mass March and Anti-War Rally September 24-26, 2005 was initiated and organized by two antiwar coalitions, A.N.S.W.E.R. (Act Now to Stop War & End Racism), on behalf of the September 24 National Coalition, and United for Peace and Justice.

"Starting on Saturday, September 24, three days of protest, grassroots lobbying, and civil disobedience are planned for Washington DC to protest the Iraq war and the militarization of US society. Given the way public sentiment has turned against the war, this could easily turn out to be the largest pro-peace event in US history." [1]


Video, Transcripts, Photos, Blog Reports

Scheduled Events

The schedule:

  • Massive March: Gather 11:00 AM at the Washington Monument; March steps off at 12:30 PM.

More rally and event links, including the World Bank protest, is posted on Citizens for Legitimate Government website.

Groups Participating

This is not a complete list but is representative of groups which will be attending and/or endorsing the mass march and anti-war rally.

Washington DC Green Festival September 24 & 25, 2005

The Washington DC Green Festival will be held September 24, 10AM to 9PM, and September 25, 11AM to 7PM, at the DC Convention Center, 801 Mount Vernon Place, NW.

"Exciting speakers including Gold Star Families for Peace co-founder Cindy Sheehan, Rep. Dennis Kucinich, Investigative Journalist Greg Palast, Code Pink founder Medea Benjamin, United for Peace and Justice Founder Rev. Graylan Hagler." [7]

"Call for Justice Weekend", Washington, DC, September 24-26, 2005

The "Call for Justice Weekend" sponsored by the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee (UUSC) STOP Campaign -- "Help end U.S. involvement in torture" -- meets September 24-26, 2005, in Washington, DC. [8]

Some Other Mass Marches and Rallies Scheduled for September 24, 2005

See full calendar of events for cities, meeting places, dates, and times both in the United States and Canada.

Expectations

"The folks at ImpeachBush/VoteToImpeach.org. are predicting that: 'more than 100,000 people will descend on Washington DC to the doors of the White House, and in actions in San Francisco and Los Angeles, to demand that George W. Bush and his administration be held accountable for the ongoing lies, deceptions, death, and torture' concerning Iraq.'

"They add that: 'The September 24 mass mobilization will see the largest contingent advocating Impeachment since Ramsey Clark initiated the campaign at the January 18, 2003 anti-war demonstration of 500,000 in Washington DC.." Portland Indymedia, June 21, 2005.

Achievements

"Protest organizers estimated that 300,000 people participated, triple their original target. D.C. Police Chief Charles H. Ramsey, who walked the march route, said the protesters achieved the goal of 100,000 and probably exceeded it. Asked whether at least 150,000 showed up, the chief said, "That's as good a guess as any. ... It was peaceful -- that's all I care about," D.C. Police Chief Charles H. Ramsey said. [9]

Reported [10] to TruthOut ...

  • The march is unable to move because there are so many people coming in from all directions. Constitution Avenue is a wall of humanity. I am up on the hill that holds the Washington Monument, looking down on the crowd. This is a massive, massive showing.
  • Huge is an understatement. The march has surrounded the White House. Hundreds of thousands. This is the largest march I have seen in the over two decades that I have been attending.
  • The crowd is diverse, a true cross-section of American culture.

Opposition: September 25, 2005, Pro-War Rally

"About 400 people gathered near a stage on an eastern segment" of the National Mall in Washington, DC, Associated Press reporter Elisabeth Goodridge wrote September 25, 2005. "Organizers of Sunday's demonstration acknowledged that their rally would be much smaller than the anti-war protest but had hoped that as many as 20,000 people would turn out."

"Amid banners and signs proclaiming support for U.S. troops, several speakers hailed the effort to bring democracy to Iraq and Afghanistan and denounced those who protest it," Goodridge wrote, and "[m]any demonstrators focused their ire at Cindy Sheehan."

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