Galvanized by the American attack on Iraq, thousands of anti-war activists around the world set off their own barrage of street protests, chaining themselves together, blocking workers and traffic, walking out of classes and parading in mock chemical suits.
More than 1,500 people were arrested from San Francisco to Washington. But the anti-war groundswell brought out thousands of counterdemonstrators. One in Mississippi carried a sign saying, "Support the US or keep your mouth shut."
Thursday was one of the heaviest days of anti-government protesting in years.
PHOTO: REUTERS
"This is no ordinary day," said Jason Mark, a San Francisco activist. "America is different today: We've just launched an unprovoked, unjust war."
Yesterday, protests erupted in Asia and Australia. The streets of Melbourne were choked with 5,000 protesters demanding an end to the conflict as mock air raid sirens wailed.
In Islamabad, the religious right urged anti-war activists to stage marches, but withdrew a call for a nationwide strike saying it would hurt ordinary Pakistanis trying to make a living. In Bangkok, about 100 anti-war activists marched on the US Embassy in to protest against the US-led attack on Iraq.
PHOTO: AP
Indonesia, the world's largest Muslim nation, girded for large protests and police beefed up security at foreign embassies and businesses.
On Thursday, hundreds of thousands of protesters marched on American embassies in European capitals and in Manila.
In Egypt, riot police used water cannons and attack dogs to keep anti-war demonstrators away from the US Embassy. Protesters hurled stones, pounded cars and shouted against the US and Egypt's leaders.
"We want the flag down. We don't want America here at all," said a 21-year-old demonstrator who identified himself only as Seoudi, 21.
Police at one point unleashed four or five police dogs, scattering panicked protesters.
Police reports said some 37 protesters and police were injured.
In Buenos Aires, Argentina, federal policemen fired tear gas grenades and rubber bullets to scatter demonstrators who stoned the US Embassy, burned an American flag and chanted slogans describing US President George W. Bush as "a Fascist terrorist." No damage was reported to the Embassy.
Hundreds of Ecuadorans mar-ched on the US embassy in the capital Quito, burning US flags and chanting "Bush is an assassin."
Ecuador's vice president, Alfredo Palacio, described the start of war on Iraq as a step backward for humanity.
Italians marched by the thous-ands in Rome and other cities, and the country's powerful trade unions organized two-hour work strikes.
Police in Rome stopped demonstrators from reaching the US Embassy. In Milan, some marchers faced off with police at the US Consulate. In Trieste, authorities scuffled with protesters trying to enter a building where a US consular agent works.
In Athens, more than 100,000 people marched to the US Embassy, where their rally ended peacefully. But violence broke out in the northern Greek city of Thessaloniki, where demonstrators set fire to a car and hurled eggs and red paint at police.
In the US, San Francisco saw some of the more vociferous anti-war activity.
Thousands in roving bands temporarily took control of some downtown streets and closed several exits from the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge. Smaller splinter groups broke windows, heaved debris into streets and occasionally scuffled with police.
Police wearing helmets and carrying nightsticks made at least 1,025 arrests.
Anti-war protesters blocked traffic in Washington. Dozens of activists temporarily shut down inbound lanes of a Potomac River crossing, holding up the morning commute. Outside the White House, about 50 stood in chilly rain and shouted, "No blood for oil!" About 300 protesters rallied in the evening.
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