Anti-war protesters gather in midtown Manhattan
NEW YORK (AP) — From longtime activists to
toddlers, thousands of protesters clogged streets Thursday afternoon to
speak out against the war in Iraq.
Organized by the group World Can’t Wait, the
march started at the United Nations headquarters in midtown Manhattan.
The throng of people, stretching for about five city blocks, closed
down a lane of traffic on Second Avenue as it made its way south to
Union Square for a late afternoon protest.
Some people lay down in the middle of the street
while others carried signs saying “Expose 9/11” and “This war should be
over.” They also handed out fliers reading, “Drive out the Bush regime.”
Lydia Sugarman, 82, from Manhattan, also
protested against the Vietnam War and for women’s rights. She said she
was a strong believer in the power of demonstrating.
“That’s how we got our civil rights,” she said. “If we didn’t protest we wouldn’t be Americans.”