United in Word and Deed

The big crowd yesterday was in New York City, but people in dozens of cities across the country held peace demonstrations as well.

The Web site for United Peace and Justice, which coordinates dozens of anti-war groups, listed more than 150 cities where anti-war protests were expected. The list included Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, Miami, Seattle, Portland, Ore., and other major cities.

It also included small towns such as Pittsboro, N.C., where 2,200 people live about 30 miles east of Raleigh. Organizers there obtained permission to hold a peace march in the courthouse traffic circle.

In Texas, President George W. Bush's home state, thousands turned out in Austin. "We're saying 'no' to the boy from our hometown," University of Texas professor Robert Jensen said to applause.

In Madison, Wis., several hundred protesters swarmed the sidewalks outside the University of Wisconsin's sports arena. Among them was 14-year-old Marianna Daniels.

"Can you justify blood for oil?" read a sign she held. The sentiment was echoed at virtually every rally.

In Detroit, they chanted "Give peace a chance." "We need to leave Iraq alone," said Detroit rally organizer Kris Hamel of the Michigan Emergency Committee Against the War on Iraq.

Protesters marching to the Liberty Bell in Philadelphia included Quakers walking in silence, a Korean group banging drums and students chanting peace slogans. Some of about 5,000 demonstrators showed up carrying signs such as "Let the rich fight their own war," and "Saddam is bad. War is worse."

In Miami, veterans of World War II, the Vietnam War and the Gulf War were among about 150 demonstrators marching and listening to speeches in the Overtown neighborhood.

"I'm worried about the corrosion of civil liberties in this country," said Grant Smith, a policy analyst from Key Biscayne who joined the protest. "People here are all against the war, even if not all of them think it's being brought about for the same reason."

And in Colorado Springs, Colo., police fired tear gas at anti-war protesters after they blocked a major thoroughfare. About 3,000 protesters emptied into the street after a rally at neighboring park.

Organizers in San Francisco agreed to postpone their demonstration for a day when they realized streets would already be crowded with the traditional Chinese New Year's parade, expected to attract nearly half a million.

A protest last month in that city drew about 150,000, according to police estimates, and organizers expect even more participants today.