Police Arrest Anti-War Protesters in D.C.

AP ^ | 1/19/03 | SAM HANANEL

[Jean S]

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Hundreds of demonstrators rallied Sunday against the possible war with Iraq and "racist witch hunts" by U.S. authorities following the Sept. 11 attacks. Police swiftly arrested close to a dozen protesters who breached barriers near the White House.

Continuing a weekend of demonstrations after a huge and peaceful rally Saturday, the protesters shouted and waved a U.S. flag with a peace symbol instead of stars in the field of blue.

They then marched toward the White House from their opening rally by the Justice Department, and 10 who climbed over chest-high fencing were pinned to the ground by police and arrested.

Organizers told protesters who wanted to get arrested to mass at the front, setting a more confrontational tone than was seen at the Saturday demonstration, when tens of thousands rallied and only a few people were taken into custody.

When the marchers met another group of demonstrators waiting at Lafayette Park across Pennsylvania Avenue from the White House, there was a surge of enthusiasm and some began running toward, and over, the barricades blocking that section of the street.

Police forced them face down on snowy grass and bound their wrists with plastic handcuffs. A dozen police were on horseback and many more were on the scene, warning people that anyone going over the barricades would be taken into custody.

Police had cleared the way for the march, with several vehicles at the front of the procession.

President Bush was at Camp David, Md., for the weekend. Protesters wanted to get as close as possible to the White House to protest his Iraq policy.

"Bush is asking for a weapons inspection everywhere else and it's only fair that his place is inspected too," said Jodi Hiland, 32, of Minneapolis.

At the opening rally between the Justice and FBI buildings, demonstrators expressed outrage over what they see as overreaching law enforcement tactics since Sept. 11, 2001.

"This is the center of all the racist attacks on people of color that have been happening for so long," said Peta Lindsay, an 18-year-old freshman at Howard University.

Shouting from a megaphone, Lindsay told the crowd that the FBI and Immigration and Naturalization Service are going to universities and demanding files on certain students.

"We will defend ourselves and our brothers from these racist witch hunts," Lindsay said.

Secretary of State Colin Powell said on CBS' "Face the Nation" that the president "is trying every means not to go to war, but the decision to go to war is in the hands of Saddam Hussein."

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[Frohickey]

"Bush is asking for a weapons inspection everywhere else and it's only fair that his place is inspected too," said Jodi Hiland, 32, of Minneapolis.

Maybe police should have let these people into the White House. Let them trash the place, loot it, maybe set a few fires, and deface the property.

Then next time they have an anti-war rally, lets see how many end up showing up when the whole country is disgusted by how these people acted.

[Route66]

"Bush is asking for a weapons inspection everywhere else and it's only fair that his place is inspected too," said Jodi Hiland, 32, of Minneapolis."
>>>>>>>>>>>>
I just can't believe these people are for real.

[Bill Davis FR]

these people are the dregs of america...

[cgbg]

I really feel bad for these comrades. Shouldn't we chip in and give them a one way ticket to North Korea so they can see "people's socialism" in action?

(Hint: After the mob kills them they will fight over the scraps. ;-) )

[Darksheare]

"Bush is asking for a weapons inspection everywhere else and it's only fair that his place is inspected too," said Jodi Hiland, 32, of Mental Vacancy.

Glad to see at least some of them got the shiny bracelets.
Too bad they won't be charged with treason.

[canuck_conservative]

Just ignore the peanut gallery.

"Rally? What rally?"

[doug from upland]

It is a shame that some of these scum couldn't have traded places with the heroic firefighters who died at the WTC.

[Riley]

There aren't any 'Peace protestors'. You never hear a peep out of them when a Democrat president attacks another country- thus, they have nothing to do with 'peace'.

They are against anything that furthers the interests of the United States, especially if it's a Republican that is doing it. It is pure partisan, America-hating street theater.

It's time that we stop calling them 'peace protestors' and come up with something more accurate. Prefereably printable and relatively G rated.

[Jean S]

Doug, did you hear any numbers from yesterday's rally in D.C.?
All I've heard is "tens of thousands".

[Theresawithanh]

What if they had an anti-war rally and nobody came?

Seriously, though, when you look at the groups that are behind this, it does give you pause, ANSWER, CAIR, and various others. To my mind, the politicos who speak at these rallies are committing treason.

[leadpenny]

I'm not good at estimating crowds but I think at least 100,000 went by our position at 8th and I Sts. Angelwood thought they may have been circling around the block. I wish I was back down there today to see them get arrested.

[Celtjew Libertarian]

"Bush is asking for a weapons inspection everywhere else and it's only fair that his place is inspected too," said Jodi Hiland, 32, of Minneapolis

Seems to be a favorite quotation from the article, isn't it?

But note the implication here. This protester isn't just against war in Iraq. She's implying that she's against inspections -- that she trusts Saddam. I don't think she thought it through that far, however; more likely she was making a cute turn of phrase without thinking through the implications.

[Darksheare]

I agree, we need the firefighters more than we need the peaceniks.

[leadpenny]

You are exactly right. If all things were equal and Clinton or Gore were in office, there wouldn't have been a 1,000 of them under the same circumstances. 90%, or better, are just George Bush haters.

[doug from upland]

I didn't hear the numbers but would like to know.

[CedarDave]

Brit on FNS said that it is "politically incorrect" these days to estimate sizes of protest marches (must not let real numbers for "million man" marches be known, can we). Anyway, he said the numbers were sizable.

[Jean S]

Thanks leadpenny.