US: Over 500,000 call for regime change

On the eve of the Republican National Convention, before the 
first lie could come out of the speakers' mouths, over half a 
million people took to the streets of New York on August 29 to 
condemn the policies of the Bush administration. The varied 
contingents seemed to merge into one massive people's contingent 
with the same message, defeat Bush.

The march was initiated by the United for Peace and Justice 
(UFPJ) coalition. Leslie Cagan, UFPJ national coordinator, said 
the protesters were gathered to counter the Republican message of 
"war, greed and hatred".

While Republicans tried to heckle the river of humanity that 
flowed past Madison Square Garden by shouting "Four more years" 
the huge crowd answered back, "Four more months!"

The militant spirit and unity of the marchers to reject the Bush 
agenda was also apparent when marchers booed while passing a 
giant television screen broadcasting Fox News and then cheered as 
the screen showed a news report with Senator John Kerry, the 
Democratic Party presidential candidate.

The huge march was not the only protest aimed at countering the 
right-wing propaganda emanating from the GOP convention. Numerous 
marches, rallies, acts of civil disobedience, conferences and 
cultural activities on issues of unemployment, health care, 
peace, education, civil, labour and women's rights — to name a 
few — took place across the city August 28 — September 1.

At press time, 100,000 union workers and their supporters were 
rallying at a protest organised by the NYC Central Labor Council 
for good jobs and health care.

Motivated by many concerns, the protestors' anger was directed 
mainly at Bush's war on Iraq, pro-rich and pro-corporate 
policies, and attacks on democracy.

Looking to use the September 11 terrorist attacks for political 
gain, GOP convention speakers heaped praise on NYC's emergency 
workers. Yet, Mike Potter, a retired firefighter from Newburgh, 
NY, told the People's Weekly World that, while Bush and the GOP 
praised firefighters and police for their heroism on September 
11, the administration's policies and budget cuts hurt first 
responders. Firefighters and police are picketing at the 
convention because Republican Mayor Michael Bloomberg refuses to 
sign decent union contracts.

At a press conference, New York City Council member Margarita 
Lspez blasted the Bush administration for lying to the American 
people about Iraq. It's "the same way they lied to us", when they 
told New Yorkers not to worry about toxic contaminants in the air 
in the aftermath of the September 11 terrorist attacks. Lspez' 
district lies within blocks of where the Twin Towers stood.

Terry Rockefeller, of September 11th Families for Peaceful 
Tomorrows, assailed Bush's war policies saying they are causing 
more grief and terror. She said of the 1000 US soldiers and 
20,000 Iraqi civilians who have died, their "families are 
grieving, just like mine is still grieving". Rockefeller's sister 
died in the attack on the World Trade Center.

Kelly Dougherty, a founding member of the new organisation, Iraq 
Veterans Against the War, demanded the return of all troops from 
Iraq and criticised the administration's cuts in veterans 
benefits. She said that the soldiers "are abandoned once they get 
home" and called US foreign policy "imperialistic and war-
mongering". Dougherty served in Iraq in a National Guard military 
police unit.

Demonstrators poured into New York from throughout the country, 
including from Bush's own state of Texas. Among them was Marian 
Avalos of Dallas, one of a group of 50 who came with North Texas 
for Justice and Peace. The group formed right after September 11 
to "promote peaceful solutions through justice, not war" and to 
fight against racist attacks and protect civil liberties, she 
said.

While for the most part the demonstrators were peaceful and 
disciplined, the police had arrested 1500 persons at press time. 
Some of those arrested were engaged in provocative activities, 
but others were arrested for peaceful protests.

The New York Civil Liberties Union director Donna Lieberman said 
in a statement that her group's observers "reported heavy handed 
actions" by the police.

Arnold Karr, from Columbia (SC), told this reporter "three 
friends got swept-up" in sweeping police arrests in Time Square. 
Karr, a member of Carolina Peace Resource Center, said his 
friends were "just watching what was happening" without taking 
part.

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People's Weekly World