USA: Anti-war protesters gather in Washington D.C. and march to the Capitol

Thousands of people marched in Washington D.C. on Saturday (September 15) to protest against the presence of American troops in Iraq. The opponents of the war gathered at Lafayette Square in front of the White House with colorful banners and humorous slogans calling for an end to the war. Many banners also called for President Bush's impeachment. "The large problem today is apathy. Most people feel like they can't make a change in this world. They feel like its too big and we are here to prove that we can change and we need to get that sort of rallying together like the people did back in Vietnam and that's what got us out of Vietnam and that's what we are trying to do to get out of Iraq," said Jacob Berger, a student at Columbia University. Others agreed that there would be problems if there was a complete U.S. troop withdrawal from Iraq. But they also believed that those issues could not be solved with the American army's continued presence in the country. "The United Nations and other international bodies can help the Iraqis to restore peace to their shattered, destroyed, country but the continuous presence of the U.S. army there serves no purpose," said Michael Drohan, a protester who had made his way from Pittsburgh to attend the anti-war rally. The protesters plan to march onto the U.S. Capitol and stage a 'die-in'. The die-in involves entering areas that are out of bounds to most people. Groups like Gathering of Eagles and Free Republic who support the U.S. efforts in Iraq have also planned their own rally on the Mall in Washington D.C.

ITN Source | September 16, 2007

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