March 20 The World Still Says No to War
Under a heavy downpour, more than 2000 people from all over Western
Pennsylvania and Ohio gathered in Pittsburgh to mark the 1-year anniversary of
the beginning of the War in Iraq this Saturday, making it the largest protest in
Pittsburgh since just before the war began. They gathered at Flagstaff Hill in
Oakland, then marched to the University of Pittsburgh's William Pitt Union. A
contingent of protestors also occupied a building at Carnegie Mellon University
for several hours in protest of that university's extensive military ties.
Featured speakers at the rallies included Senator Ferlo, Susi Snyder -
director of the United Nations office of Women’s International League for Peace
& Freedom - and Vietnam veteran and TV personality Chris Moore.
"Why did we go into Iraq? We went in because we were looking for weapons of mass
destruction," said Snyder. "Well I want to tell you, I found where those weapons
are. They're in Nebraska, they're in California, they're in Utah, they're in
Maine and Massachusetts. They're all over this country."
Members of the 122 Pittsburghers who were arrested at an anti-war demonstration
one year earlier led the crowd in chanting "Not one more lie! Not one more day!
Not one more death!" Protestors were calling for an immediate end to the
occupation of Iraq.
Despite a heavy police presence, no protestors were arrested and the events
remained peaceful. Carnegie Mellon Police had initially planned to block any
off-campus protestors from entering any CMU building, but changed their minds at
the last moment. Students had been warned days in advance of the weekend that
some protestors would be targeting the university. About 100 protestors entered
and briefly occupied the University Center at 5000 Forbes Avenue. Carnegie
Mellon Chief of Police monitored the protests, but took no action.
- Indymedia Pittsburgh
 Over 2000 people gathered at Flagstaff Hill for the rally preceding the march. (Photo by Nathan J, Pgh Indymedia) |
 Molly Rush, local economic justice organizer and co-founder of the TMC, speaks at the rally. (Photo by Mary Hart, Pgh Indymedia) |
 (Photo by Jane Ashcroft) |
 (Photo by Matt Toups, Pgh Indymedia) |
 (Photo by Jane Ashcroft) |
 (Photo by Matt Toups, Pgh Indymedia) |
More photos of March 20 (page 2)