3/19/05: The Rally in the Valley" was a focal point of anti-war activity in the Central Valley. Participants at the Rally in the Valley, which was held in downtown Fresno, came from Modesto, Merced, Madera, Fresno, Visalia, Reedley, Porterville, and many other Central California communities. Earlier this week Students at CSU-Fresno students drummed for peace at an event in the free speech area. There was also a bus full of CSUF students that went to the Big demonstration in San Francisco. On the day before the second anniversary of the invasion of Iraq, the Reedley Peace Center held a vigil for peace and heard a presentation by high school students about their efforts to counter the lies of military recruiters on campus. Other anti war events are being held in Sonora, Sacramento, Davis, Modesto, and elsewhere in the valley. For details on those events go here
Over 200 Demonstraters from the greater Grand Traverse Region stood in a late season blizzard on the 2nd anniversary of the US occupation of Iraq. 100,000 PLUS Dead, U.S. Out of Iraq!, and Enough is Enough! These were the themes of the day for over 200 demonstrators in Traverse City, Michigan on Saturday March 19. Even as a late season blizzard blanketed the region, residents from the greater Grand Traverse area gathered for a day of protest and mourning for the 10,000’s Iraqi deaths under U.S. occupation, in addition to the 1,500 U.S. deaths.
Several hundred people rallied at the "Spirit of Detroit" and walked down Woodward avenue on the evening of March 18 to protest the second anniversary of the invasion and occupation of Iraq.
Organizers of the gathering, which began at 4:30 p.m., pointed out that the declining socio-economic conditions in the Detroit area were closely related to the escalating expenditures on the failed war policies of the Bush administration in Washington, D.C.
Audio: [1 | 2]
Photos: Post your photos of March 18-20 events to the open publishing newswire.
3/18/2005 A dozen Not In Our Name activists displayed banners over Interstate 80, Freeway 580 and in front of the Grand Lake Theater in Oakland between 6:30 and 8:30 am today. Police and highway patrol forced activists off a pedestrian overpass over 580 near Grand Avenue after one hour, claiming that though they were within their rights to hold a banner if it was not attached to the fence, that traffic was being slowed as a result of the action. Activists at a pedestrian bridge over I-80 were able to remain on the bridge for a full 2 hours. Photos
Indymedia Coverage From Around the US:
PORTLAND: [Action Page I Web Radio] [number: 800-939-7973]
SAN DIEGO: [Action Info I RadioActive] [number: 619-269-4693]
CHICAGO: [Action Info I Web Radio] [number: 773-384-8544]
SF BAY AREA: [Enemy Combatant Radio number: (415) 864-1006 ]
other actions: Michigan Actions I Fort Bragg, NC I Baltimore, MD I New York City I California Actions I Philadelphia I Houston I 575 More Actions Around the Country
Has the broadbased local anti-war movement reached its breaking point? As the second anniversary of the Iraq War approaches, two of the largest anti-war coalitions in New York are directing increasing vitriol at each other, rather than the Bush Administration.
On March 3, an open letter to United For Peace and Justice was posted to our newswire. It read, in part: "We, the undersigned, are activists from communities of color and from within the anti-war movement ... we are deeply disappointed to learn that UFPJ has announced it will not support nor participate in the March 19th New York City Central Park mass rally scheduled to kick off in Marcus Garvey Park, located in the heart of Harlem."
Yesterday, United for Peace and Justice responded in a second open letter. They pointed to original rally promotional materials that contained "language supporting the Iraqi resistance," a lack of organizational capacity, and difficulties working with the International Action Center (IAC) and International ANSWER as reasons why they chose not to support the M19 action in New York.
An anonymous anarchist weighs in with this message: "Some folks in the local anarchist community would like to take this opportunity to remind everyone to ignore all the silly squabbling amongst the left-sectarian dinosaurs that goes on and on on the NYC-IMC newswire. The dinosaurs, a dying breed, at best wish only to recruit you to their parties (which are no fun I assure you) and at worst, well, do a little research and see for yourself."
Press Conference]Coverage from 2004 ] [ 
Recently released Video: 1 2 ] [ 
Audio ]
Complete Weekend Calendar On March 19, the Troops Out Now! coalition will be sponsoring a major anti-war rally in NYC on the second anniversary of the war in Iraq. [Full Details] || [Information on the "Peace Train" from New Jersey]
For its part, the local arm of United For Peace and Justice is encouraging hardy travelers to make the trip to Ft. Bragg, NC. Local anarchists have also released their own anonymous M19 call to action. [NYC Labor Against the War || Stony Brook University Festival of Resistance]
The War Resisters League, endorsed by the NYC IWW has called for "non-violent direct actions at military recruitment centers on March 19th, 2005."
In one of the latest M19 developments, the Center for Constitutional Rights filed a complaint on behalf of the International Action Center and the Troops Out Now! Coalition challenging the City's policy of refusing new permits for marches on Fifth Avenue.
This years anti-war protest has highlighted the increasing tensions between various activist groups. Harlem Tenants Council director Nellie Ballie and members of the Troops Out Now! coalition have publicly criticized United for Peace and Justice for allegedly not signing on to the Central Park protest. "That is a travesty,” Ballie told the IPS.
Meanwhile, an anti-World Bank / IMF organizer wonders if the movement against global capitalism has finally gotten lost amidst anti-war protest fever.
[US IMC Nationwide Coverage] || [M19 Indypendent]
Photograph: Fritz Askew
The San Diego Coalition for Peace and Justice is holding a local protest in conjunction with events around the U.S. and world-wide. March 19, 2005 - 2:00 p.m., 6th and Laurel, Balboa Park, San Diego. Speakers, music, poetry. 
Peace Now, the Las Vegas grassroots organization, has a whole day of protest planned for Saturday, March 19th (the 2nd Anniversary of the War in Iraq). But this is only the beginning as the group plans to stay united and continue to fight for an end to this war.
[ Read More... | Join the LV Peace Listserv | United For Peace and Justice | Clark County Green Party ]
Get involved with LV PEACE and find out what YOU can do to make the world a more peaceful place! Peace, Love and Equality for the planet!
It's been 15 years since the United States invaded Iraq for the first time. Since then the US government has been responsible for the deaths of millions of innocent lives, through two wars intermixed with a decade of bombings and economic sanctions that crippled Iraq's water and power supplies. In March of 2003 the United States invaded Iraq for the second time, claiming the invasion was necessary to "ensure compliance with UN Security Resolutions." Well, the WMDs were never found, and links between Sadaam and Al Qaida have been dismissed as fiction by the congressional 911 commission. The US government is bent on destroying the spirit of what was once the nation most resilient to US imperialism, and it is vital to the success of the world that we oppose folding control of Iraq into the dominant global hegemony. On the second anniversary of the second time the United States has invaded Iraq, people around the world are taking to the streets to demand an end to the occupation, an end to the torture, and an end to the violence.
Read Full Article
Related: Brief Annotated History of Iraq (Commentary)
check the right column local newswire for event report backs and photos
On Saturday, March 19, upwards of 2 million people will take to the streets around the world to protest the two year anniversary of the invasion of Iraq. People in more than 60 countries throughout the world - from Japan to South Korea to Spain to Australia to South Africa - will call for an end to the occupation, which they believe is only increasing violence and insecurity in Iraq. In Tennessee, the Nashville Peace Coalition will host the Think Peace! Bring the Troops Home Now! Rally to raise consciousness about the occupation of Iraq and demand that President Bush begin to take responsibility for ending what is a grave humanitarian crisis. In Chattanooga, protesters will send a message to the world that they do not support unprovoked American aggression against their brothers and sisters around the world, and in Memphis demonstrators will gather on the second anniversary for a protest march and rally starting at First Congregational Church and ending at Veterans Plaza in Overton Park with music, food and speakers.
Multiple cities in Michigan will be participating in the coordinated antiwar activities called for by United for Peace and Justice and A.N.S.W.E.R. In Traverse City, an antiwar demonstration will begin at 12 Noon, location to be determined. Detroit's actions, organized by MECAWI, will begin at 4:30PM on March 18, with a gathering at the Spirit of Detroit (Woodward and Jefferson), followed by a march and rally. Grand Rapids will be having a rally and spirited march [pdf flyer]. In Lansing, GLNAWI will be organizing a day of events on March 19, including a gathering at the capitol, films, and speakers. Check their website for more information.
This article is only a list of mainly what has been posted to MichiganIMC already. If there are actions happening in your town, post them as comments to this feature. Also, don't forget to publish your post-action reports to the MichiganIMC open publishing newswire.
March 19, 2005, will be an International Day of Protest on the second anniversary of the U.S. invasion of Iraq. As on the first anniversary of the invasion last year, millions of people around the world will march to say “No to War and Occupation from Iraq to Palestine to Haiti and Everywhere.”
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