A Day of Peace and Solidarity in D.C.
an article by Joe Yannielli

Looking around me, I saw an Anarchist with a sign reading "down with capitalism" to my left. Directly in front of me was a Trotskyist, and to my right were a group of Palestinians, marching with fierce determination. Directly behind me was a hodgepodge of students from across the country, carrying banners which read "Stop the War at Home and Abroad!" Together we marched and together we chanted, "NO MORE WAR!"

Sound like fiction? Try again. On April 20th, 2002 in Washington D.C., nearly 100,000 protesters from all corners of America marched together in solidarity for an end to war, injustice, and imperialism. In the morning and early afternoon hours, thousands of protesters for a free Palestine gathered outside the White House, while thousands more assembled in front of the IMF-World Bank in D.C. to demand economic justice for the people of the world. Even more rallied by the Washington Monument to call for an end to President Bush's "War on Terror" and all the negative effects of such a violent policy.

Lead by the National Youth and Student Peace Coalition, a diverse collective of groups and young people from all over the nation, these three rallies joined together in an impressive show of solidarity and the interconnectedness of issues.

The unity and strength which flowed through the protesters as all three marches joined together on the way to the Capital moved me in a profound way. When my group of students from Wesleyan University converged with the throng of pro-Palestine marchers, the mood was electric. As we marched side by side, arm in arm with each other, my group began chanting, "What do we want?! Peace! When do we want it!? Now!" Almost immediately, the Palestine protesters began to yell in unison with us and the words spread like wildfire though the crowd in the streets. Next, the Palestine marchers began to chant "Long Live Palestine" and this time we echoed their cry. Then, together, almost organically, we began to beat our drums, clap our hands and call out as one: "No Justice, No Peace!"

I doubt that there has ever been a more diverse group of protesters marching together for a single cause. Certainly, April 20th will go down in the history books as the beginning of a new and unified peace movement that will change the face of the world.

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The new peace movement
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MARCHES AND PROTESTS

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For some beautiful photos of the New York peace march go to the website of Diane Greene Lent which is referenced on the site of United for Peace and Justice, the coalition that organized the march.

This report was posted on April 27, 2002. The moderator is Shireen.

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