Anti-war protests erupted across the globe following the start
of the US-led war against Iraq, with hundreds of thousands
expected to march to demand a quick end to air strikes on Baghdad.
An Australian uses his surfboard as a placard as thousands
march towards the U.S. Consulate and the Prime Minister's
office in Sydney, March 20, 2003. A wave of anti-war
protests began to roll across Europe and the Middle East
on Thursday after the opening salvos of the war against
Iraq sparked angry demonstrations in Asia and Australia.
Barely three hours after the first U.S. missiles struck
Baghdad, a crowd that organizers put at 40,000 and which
police said numbered 'tens of thousands' brought
Australia's second largest city, Melbourne, to a
standstill. (James Morgan/Reuters)
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Between 80,000 and 100,000 demonstrators thronged central Athens
in response to the launch of targetted strikes against Iraqi
targets, according to initial police estimates, but organizers put
the figure at at least 200,000.
"It's unprecedented. People continue coming," said
Vera Michailidou of the leftist anti-globalization group Action
2003, as protestors marched past the British embassy to the US
mission, both heavily guarded by riot police.
Greek demonstrators, many of them high school students, adopted
"Bush -- killer" as their slogan of choice, condemning
US President George W. Bush for attempting to disarm Iraq and
topple Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein by force.
Anti-war groups around the world have organized protests on
Thursday to voice anger over the way in which Washington and
London have defied popular opposition to launch a second Gulf war.
Millions have marched to oppose the war in past weekends,
dogging world leaders that have backed Bush's campaign, like Prime
Ministers Tony Blair of Britain, Jose Maria Aznar of Spain and
Silvio Berlusconi of Italy.
The protest in Athens, the biggest so far for the day, followed
angry anti-US demonstrations across Pakistan and spirited marches
in Australia, which has contributed some 2,000 troops to the
US-led coalition against Saddam.
"Saddam Hussein is a hero of Muslims," shouted one
protestor in the Islamist-ruled city of Peshawar in northwest
Pakistan, where hundreds of students, lawyers and journalists
denounced US "aggression" in Iraq.
A coalition of secular anti-war groups launched a boycott of US
fast food outlets like McDonald's and Kentucky Fried Chicken,
which are enormously popular with Pakistanis. More rallies were
expected later Thursday.
In Indonesia, the world's largest Muslim-populated nation,
about 1,000 protestors gathered outside the heavily guarded US
embassy in Jakarta, carrying signs reading, "Bush, go to
hell" and "Terrorism No, Justice Yes."
In Australia, thousands took to the streets just hours after
the first air strikes against Iraqi targets, with more than 10,000
protesting in central Sydney and 20,000 in the country's second
city Melbourne.
One woman was arrested at the US consulate in Melbourne for
splashing red paint and scrawling "killing has started"
on statues outside the building, police said.
"It's about sending the Americans a message, and this is
their address," said one demonstrator outside the consulate,
Catherine Robson.
Security has been stepped up at US embassies and consulates
around the world as many anti-war groups have called for
demonstrations outside the diplomatic missions to show contempt
for the US insistence on ousting Saddam by force.
Some 20,000 students in Berlin peacefully marched toward the US
embassy near the city's Brandenburg Gate, carrying placards
reading "Give peace a chance" and "War is not the
answer".
Another 5,000 students rallied outside the US consulate in the
southern city of Munich, with 7,000 demonstrating in Saarbruecken
in the west. Peace groups said some 250 protests would be staged
in Germany -- where opposition to war in strong -- throughout the
day.
Thousands of students streamed out of classrooms across
Denmark, Switzerland, Spain and Italy, with Swiss schoolchildren
carrying the rainbow-striped flags which have become a symbol for
peace in Europe.
In Italy, the country's main unions called for a two-hour
general strike due to begin at 3:00 pm (1400 GMT).
The US embassy in central Paris, where French police have set
up a tight security cordon, was closed to the public on Thursday
ahead of a demonstration planned for 1700 GMT.
In Russia, two hundred Communists and ultra-nationalists --
confronted by three times as many police -- decried what they
called the "barbaric" US-led military campaign in Iraq,
chanting "Yankee go home" and "No to war".
A major
protest is planned for Saturday in New York City, following
the success of a similar march one month ago that drew around
250,000 demonstrators.
