FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 14, 2007?CONTACT: Susan Chenelle, 212-868-5545, 646-526-5754 mobile Antiwar Movement Marks 4th Anniversary of U.S. Invasion of Iraq With Protest Actions in All 50 States
NEW YORK -- As the 4th anniversary of the U.S. invasion of Iraq approaches, United for Peace and Justice (UFPJ) released information today about plans for local antiwar activities around the country in the coming days.
In response to a call from UFPJ, the national coalition that brought hundreds of thousands of people to Washington, DC, on January 27th, locally based antiwar groups in all 50 states are organizing events ranging from rallies and vigils to marches and nonviolent civil disobedience actions. At present more than 500 activities have been listed on the UFPJ website calendar, and more are coming in each day. Taken together with vigils and actions coordinated by UFPJ allies MoveOn.org, Working Assets, TrueMajority and the Declaration of Peace, more than 1,000 local actions will mark the beginning of the 5th year of war.
Some of the major events in the coming days include:
• Rally for Peace in Fayetteville, NC: On Saturday, March 17th, this military town will be where military families, Iraq war veterans, and veterans of other wars will gather with people from throughout the South to march behind the banner demanding: Real Support for the Troops, Bring Them Home Now! • Veterans Caravan to the Gulf Coast: Veterans for Peace will launch its second caravan from Fayetteville after the March 17th rally, bound for the Gulf Coast, where the huge task of recovery and rebuilding remains far from finished. The caravan will include representatives from Veterans For Peace, Gold Star Families for Peace, Military Families Speak Out, Iraq Veterans Against the War, signers of the Appeal For Redress, and possibly several war resisters. • More than 100 towns in Maine will hold vigils as part of a campaign called Every Village - Maine. • NYC March to End the War: On March 18, United for Peace and Justice/NYC is calling every New Yorker, every community group, every church, mosque and synagogue, every student organization, every tenant association, every labor union to join them in the streets to say NO MORE! • March 16-19, the Declaration of Peace Campaign, building on the work begun last fall, will engage in nonviolent civil disobedience and peaceful resistance in cities across the United States. •
Leslie Cagan, National Coordinator of UFPJ, said, 'While Congress discusses what steps they might take, the antiwar movement is once again taking to the streets in large numbers to demand an immediate end to the war in Iraq and for all U.S. troops to be brought home now. Throughout the nation, people are marking the 4th anniversary of this horrendous war by making their voices heard in the town squares and public spaces within their own communities. As important as the large national marches are, the heart and soul of this movement is at the local level.'
United for Peace and Justice, the largest antiwar coalition with more than 1,400 member groups under its umbrella, will continue to coordinate both locally based and national actions in the weeks and months ahead. We call on Congress to stand up to the Bush Administration and use its Constitutional power to cut off funding for the war and set a date for all of the troops to be brought home.
From United for Peace and Justice
