NEW YORK, Oct. 27 (Xinhua) -- Thousands of protestors
took to the streets Saturday along Broadway in Manhattan to demand an end to the
Iraq war and prevent another on Iran.
Organized by the United for Peace and Justice
coalition, the protestors braved rain to march from Union Square to Foley
Square, chanting slogans like "What do we want? Peace! When do we want it? Now!"
Despite the rain, organizers said up to 45,000
people, including war veterans, military families, labor activists, community
leaders, and students, turned out to demand an immediate end to the Iraq war,
and to call on the government to avoid another war on Iran.
"This war must end. It must end now," said Leslie
Cagan, national coordinator for United for Peace and Justice. "Not one more
dollar, not one more death."
Cagan accused the government of pursing a foreign
policy "based on war and militarism," demanding one "based on respect to the
people that we share this planet with."
"It is time to turn this country around," she said.
Saturday marked the five-year anniversary of the U.S.
Senate vote that authorized President George W. Bush to invade Iraq.
The march ended with a "peace fair" on Foley Square,
during which a two-minute silence was observed to honor those who lost their
lives in the war.
Similar protests were also held in 10 other U.S.
cities such as Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, Salt Lake City, Boston, and
Philadelphia.
