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European protesters fill citiesLargest-ever gatherings reported in London, Madrid
LONDON, England (CNN) -- Millions took to the streets of Europe to protest against a war with Iraq in huge demonstrations later repeated in the United States. In London on Saturday, police said the turnout was 750,000, the largest demonstration ever in the British capital. The organizers put the figure at 2 million. Half a million protested in Germany, and 300,000 in 60 towns and cities across France. CNN's Alessio Vinci said that the turnout in Rome, Italy -- where Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has publicly backed the stance of U.S. President George W. Bush -- was also said by the organizers to be 1 million. It was certainly in the high hundreds of thousands, he said, with many marchers trapped in traffic on the city outskirts.
The scenes were repeated in the United States, with crowds of anti-war demonstrators jamming into downtown New York and other cities. (Full story) The huge demonstration in London came on the same day Prime Minister Tony Blair said he "would not shrink" from military action against Iraqi President Saddam Hussein. (Full story) Nearly all the marches were peaceful, though in Athens, Greece, riot police fired tear gas at demonstrators who threw stones and gasoline bombs when dozens of hooded protesters splintered from a main body of up to 50,000 demonstrators. A parked car was burned, but police said there were no arrests or reports of injuries. (Full story) The biggest demonstrations seen in Europe for years were part of marches by millions across the globe, from the Antarctic to Iceland. "This war is solely about oil. George Bush has never given a damn about human rights," London Mayor Ken Livingstone said. "Give peace a chance, give peace a chance," American peace activist the Rev. Jesse Jackson chanted to the cheering throng. (Jackson: Not too late) American actor Tim Robbins, reflecting on the global reach of the protests, said, "The peace movement is acting as one." In France, one of the staunchest opponents of war, one protester said, "The Americans were stressed by September 11, and now they are going completely overboard." According to The Associated Press, about 2 million people turned out in Spain to rail against war, including nearly 1.3 million in Barcelona, making it the city's biggest protest ever. About 600,000 in Madrid brought the city center to a standstill. The protesters received a boost Friday when U.N chief weapons inspector Hans Blix gave a mixed report to the United Nations, giving hope that arms inspections in Iraq could begin to work better. (Full story) The rallies offered a boost to Iraq's own cause. Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Tariq Aziz, in the Italian city of Assisi to pray at the tomb of St. Francis, said: "This is a day all good women and men in the world will show the protest against the war of George W. Bush," he told Reuters. "Our hearts are with them." (Full story) In a message to those taking part in the demonstrations, Blair said: "I rejoice that we live in a country where peaceful protest is a natural part of our democratic process." But he added: "As you watch your TV pictures of the march, ponder this: if there are 500,000 on that march, that is still less than the number of people whose deaths Saddam has been responsible for. "If there are 1 million, that is still less than the number of people who died in the wars he started."
A dissenting note was struck by one lone demonstrator in London who mounted a protest outside the Iraqi section of the Jordanian embassy, holding a placard proclaiming his support of military action to bring down Saddam. Jacques More, 44, a writer from Croydon, south London, said: "War is a last resort, and it's a necessary resort when evil dictators rule and murder their own people." Speaking about the peace marchers, he added: "They have lots of good intentions; they don't want the horrors of war, but neither do I. The military don't want to hurt the innocent, but it's sometimes necessary to go in and stop a murderer." In Paris, tens of thousands had turned out in the French capital, with hundreds of thousands of others expected in 60 towns and cities. More than 100 French organizations were taking part,and there was "a lot of very intense feeling" against a war, he said. Peace march organizer Pierre Villard told him: "This is a message to George Bush. People are here because they do not think this war against Iraq is good for the world. "It is also a message to the French government: Go to the United Nations Security Council, and if you can, use your veto." In Berlin, Germany, up to 500,000 protesters had gathered in the city's historic center to demonstrate against a war with Iraq and bolster Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder's calls for a peaceful solution.
In Istanbul, Turkey, 5,000 people angrily denounced the U.S., demanding that America stay out and saying the Persian Gulf War had cost their country millions. On Saturday, Foreign Minister Yasar Yakis was finishing talks in Washington over an aid package tied to support for a U.S.-led invasion of Iraq. CNN's James Martone reported that the mood of the demonstrators in a country where the people are overwhelmingly opposed to war was "angry," with the crowd demanding that America leave the Middle East Meanwhile, in Moscow, Russia, anti-war protesters braved cold weather to march to the U.S. Embassy against a possible war. The Interfax news agency put the figure at nearly 1,000. One of their banners implored Russian President Vladimir Putin to "Be Firmer With America," while others said "U.S. -- International Terrorist Number One." Another showed a photograph of the U.S. president with the words: "Butcher: Get out of other people's lands." Copyright 2003 CNN. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Associated Press contributed to this report.
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This war is solely about oil. George Bush has never given a damn about human rights.
