SOCIALIST ALTERNATIVE members have reported that popular pro-war sentiment was at its peak immediately after the events of 11 September and that it has already ebbed to some degree.
Diane Stokes, Socialist Alternative, Chicago
The size of the anti-war protests on Saturday 29 September show that support for Bush’s war on terrorism, though it may be a mile wide, is less than an inch deep.
A demonstration was called in Chicago to co-ordinate with national actions across the United States. Around 12,000 people took part in three demonstrations and a march that lasted around three hours.
The first demonstration took place at the Tribune Plaza, site of one of the two major newspapers in Chicago as both papers are backing the call for military intervention in the Middle East. After more than an hour of speakers, the noisy crowd with many youthful activists began a march through the main shopping centre.
The Anti-War Coalition organised the demonstration which was attended by Left activists, and other environmental, peace, anti-racist, anti-globalisation and students groups.
There were also a number of young people who were not organised. Colleges in Chicago sent contingents to the demonstrations and high school students participated.
Some of the chants used by the demonstrators were borrowed in part from the anti-war movement of the 1960s: “One, two, three, four, we don’t want your racist war!” or “Hell! No! We won’t go!”
More than 10,000 attended the demo in Washington, DC, 5,000 to 6,000 in San Francisco and around 800 in Los Angeles.
