Protesters Snarl Midday Traffic in D.C.

By Manny Fernandez
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, March 21, 2003; 3:08 PM

About 200 protesters briefly tangled lunch-hour traffic in downtown Washington today by trying to block four major intersections near the White House.

Organizers said about 25 people were arrested in the protests. About 200 activists gathered at noon near the White House at the intersection of H and 16th streets, just outside Lafayette Park. Many of the demonstrators wore fake blood to simulate injuries or had on fake bloody rags. It was part of their effort to graphically convey the look of war, organizers said.

"We wanted to bring the war home. Let's not hide the truth of what war is," said Lisa Fithian, 41, of Austin, Tex., an organizer with United for Peace and Justice, one of the groups organizing today's efforts.

Shortly after the rally began, about 20 of the protesters ran past the police in the area and laid down in the intersection. Police were forced to close the area to most traffic while removing the protesters. As that protest continued, another group of demonstrators ran up the street and some of them laid down and stopped traffic at the intersections at 16th and K streets, 17th and K streets and 16th and I streets. They left quickly but drew chalk outlines of themselves in the intersections.

The traffic disruption near Lafayette Park lasted about 30 minutes.

Protesters are planning to gather again tomorrow at noon.