March 23, 2003

     Hundreds of antiwar activists rallied and marched through Northwest yesterday to protest the war in Iraq, while thousands of others staged similar demonstrations around the country. Pro-war supporters also held rallies nationwide, challenging the antiwar crowds.

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     Metropolitan police arrested two protesters — one charged with climbing a statue in Lafayette Square; the other, with pushing a police officer off his bicycle.
     Police spokesman Anthony O'Leary said the protesters were mostly peaceful and noted that every D.C. police officer was on duty yesterday.
     At a "teach-in" at American University in Northwest, Vietnam veterans against the war in Iraq led a discussion about their viewpoint as part of a three-day protest, scheduled to end tomorrow.
     "This war won't be just in Iraq. It will keep going. The United States wants to control the entire region and eventually we will head to a shameful defeat," said David Cline, national president of Veterans for Peace and an organizer of the event. About 1,000 veterans are expected to demonstrate on the Mall and at the White House today.
     An antiwar march yesterday around Northwest was halted for about 45 minutes by police at Rhode Island Avenue and 15th Street because protesters strayed from their permitted route.
     The delay halted traffic in the area, but no altercations were reported.
     The protest was organized by the antiwar group International ANSWER, which has organized several rallies around the country over the past few months.

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Updated at 7:00 a.m.