News from The Associated Press http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_WAR_PROTEST?SITE=AP...

LATEST NEWS Advertisement

Mar 19, 10:09 PM EDT
Top Stories
U.S.
World Anti-war protesters arrested near
Business
Markets
White House
Technology By ERIC TUCKER
Sports Associated Press
Entertainment
Health
Science
Politics
Offbeat
Weather
Raw News
ESPAÑOL
Generales
AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin
Financieras
Deportivas
Espectáculos
NEWS SEARCH

Archive Search
WEB SPECIALS
Multimedia Gallery
AP Video Network
Today in History
PhotoWeek
SportsWeek
U.S. Census Advertisement
Database
Corrections
Peoria: Moms Make
$77hr
Is it a scam? We investigated
and what we found may
shock you!

600% Penny Stock

Gains
Alerts on Stocks that move.
Huge Potential. Free Sign
Up!

1 of 4 3/19/2011 11:23 PM
News from The Associated Press http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_WAR_PROTEST?SITE=AP...

WASHINGTON (AP) -- More than 100

anti-war protesters, including the man who Buy AP Photo Reprints
leaked the Pentagon Papers, were arrested
outside the White House on Saturday in
demonstrations marking the eighth
anniversary of the U.S.-led war in Iraq.

The protesters, some shouting anti-war slogans and singing "We Shall Not
Be Moved," were arrested after ignoring orders to move away from the
gates of the White House. The demonstrators cheered loudly as Daniel
Ellsberg, the former military analyst who in 1971 leaked the Pentagon's
secret history of the Vietnam War that was later published in major
newspapers, was arrested and led away by police.

In New York City, about 80 protesters gathered near the U.S. military
recruiting center in Times Square, chanting "No to war" and carrying
banners that read, "I am not paying for war" and "Butter not guns."

Similar protests marking the start of the Iraq war were also planned
Saturday in Chicago, San Francisco and other cities.

The demonstration in Washington on Saturday merged varied causes,

including protesters demanding a U.S. military withdrawal from Iraq and
Afghanistan as well as those supporting Bradley Manning, the jailed Army
private suspected of giving classified documents to the website WikiLeaks.

One chant that was repeated was: "Stop the War! Expose the Lies! Free
Bradley Manning!"

Manning is being held in solitary confinement for all but an hour every day
at a Marine Corps brig in Quantico, Virginia. He is given a suicide-proof
smock to wear to bed and is stripped naked each night. On Sunday, a
protest will be held in Quantico, outside the brig where Manning is being
held.

Ellsberg has publicly defended Manning, calling him a "brother," and

WikiLeaks.

Hundreds of protesters attended the rally and marched around the White
House, but the crowd - which included many military veterans - thinned
considerably as the U.S. Park Police warned that they'd be arrested if
they didn't move. As officers moved in with handcuffs, one protester who
clutched the gates outside the White House shouted, "Don't arrest them!
Arrest Obama!" and "You're arresting veterans, not war criminals!"

Authorities said 113 protesters were arrested, processed and given

violation notices for disobeying an official order. They could pay a small
fine and be released, or be freed with a future court date.

"The majority were cooperative," said U.S. Park Police spokesman David
Schlosser. "A couple had to be carried, but altogether a polite and orderly
crowd."

One military veteran who showed up for the rally was Paul Markin, a
64-year-old retired U.S. Army colonel from Lynn, Mass., who said he's
frustrated by what he sees as the U.S. government's escalation of the
wars. He said he's been against wars since coming home from Vietnam.

"Ever since that time, I've gone to the other side. Instead of a warrior, an
anti-warrior," Markin said.

Ralph Nader, a consumer advocate who's unsuccessfully run several times

for president, attended the demonstration and said anti-war protesters
needed to continue putting pressure on government leaders. He said he
believed most Americans and even soldiers agreed with the views of the
protesters

"I believe they reflect the majority opinion of the soldiers in Afghanistan,"

2 of 4 3/19/2011 11:23 PM
News from The Associated Press http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_WAR_PROTEST?SITE=AP...

Nader told The Associated Press. "This is a majority opinion movement."

There was little talk at the D.C. protest of the U.S. missile strikes against
Moammar Gadhafi's forces in Libya on Saturday, part of an international
effort to protect rebel forces.

But the Times Square demonstration that was meant to mark the eighth
anniversary of the Iraq invasion quickly became a protest against
Saturday's military strikes.

Gary Maveal, 57, a law professor from Detroit who was visiting the city
for a conference, said he feared the Libyan attacks would become a
"quagmire."

" We don't have a good record of getting out of anywhere in a hurry," he

said.

Joan Davis, 79, of Manhattan carried a sign that said, "War is stupid." She
said she felt Obama had rushed to attack Libya, and that the U.S. action
would breed more contempt for the United States in other parts of the
Middle East.

U.S. Rep. Charles Rangel , D-N.Y., joined the protesters, saying he was
angry that Congress was not consulted before the military strikes. He said
he was undecided on whether the military action against Libya was
justified.

"Our presidents seem to believe that all we have to do is go to the U.N.

and we go to war," Rangel said as a large television behind him at the
recruiting station showed an advertisement for the Air Force with crews
loading missiles onto fighter jets.

"Going to war is not a decision that presidents should make," he added.

----

Associated Press reporter Chris Hawley in New York City contributed to

this story.

© 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not
be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Learn more about our
Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.

Advertisement

Peoria: Moms Make $77hr 600% Penny Stock Gains

Is it a scam? We investigated and what we Alerts on Stocks that move. Huge
found may shock you! Potential. Free Sign Up!

3 of 4 3/19/2011 11:23 PM
News from The Associated Press http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_WAR_PROTEST?SITE=AP...

©2011 The Associated Press.

All rights reserved. Terms under which this site is provided.
Learn more about our Privacy Policy.

4 of 4 3/19/2011 11:23 PM