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Hundreds of Iraq Protestors Arrested in D.C.

by ryan | September 16, 2007 at 04:00 am

841 views | 11 Recommendations | 6 comments

UPDATE (Sept 16th 8:00 PST): Answer Coalition has released its estimates of how many attended the protest, claiming there were over 100,000 people, that number though has not been confirmed.

Organizers estimated that more than 100,000 people attended the rally and march. That number could not be confirmed; police did not give their own estimate. But there appeared to be tens of thousands of people in attendance, and the march stretched along multiple blocks of Pennsylvania Avenue

The Answer Coalition website claims that 200 were arrested.

UPDATE (Sept 15th 16:00 PST): Police arrested 150 of the thousands that attended Answer Coalition protest. The arrests came after people started breaking through barricades.

Thousands of protesters marched Saturday from the White House to the Capitol to demand an end to the Iraq war, leading to the arrests of at least 150 people.

About 1,000 counter protestors gathered to make their pro-war opinions known.

About 13 blocks away, nearly 1,000 counterprotesters gathered near the Washington Monument, frequently erupting in chants of "U-S-A" and waving American flags.

The facts surrounding the war on Iraq is becoming ever more clouded by the continued politization of the matter. For example, the confusion regarding the troop withdrawal, it is not a reduction in troops as the President claims but rather the expiration of the term of duty.

Thousands of opponents and supporters of the U.S. presence in Iraq will converge Saturday in the nation's capital for a day of demonstrations.

The anti-war ANSWER Coalition is planning a rally at Lafayette Square, followed by a march to the Capitol and "die-in," where thousands plan to risk arrest by entering areas where they're not supposed to go.

Meanwhile, a groups that support the Iraq war are planning a rally of their own. Gathering of Eagles and Free Republic are set to meet on the Mall and line the protest route.

And although the size of the protest doesn't matter, I'm sure people will be counting the turn out at the various protests.

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merrie

at 00:41 on September 16th, 2007

Hi Ryan,

This story is good stuff. It's kinda' like deja' vu. Michelle Malkin was with Gathering of Eagles and she said that the ANSWER's demonstrators

numbers were inflated. Instead of the reported 100,000, she said to knock of a zero, that would be more accurate.

I'm still waiting for the flag to open. I'll check back later.

merrie

flagged this story as Good Stuff

at 00:42 on September 16th, 2007

Ryan Nadel, I like this story. It's good stuff.

SthPacific

flagged this story as Good Stuff

at 01:03 on September 16th, 2007

Hi Ryan I uploaded a video of this event. It seems to conflict with the reoprt here.l The claim that there was 1000 of pro war protesters is clearly false, and there were far more then 1000 znti war protesters as is obvious from the video. As for 150 arrested I have heard the numbers ranging from a few to 190.

Also GW Bush siad that the protesters should "Get out Of America." Sounds like something the Decider would have blurted out.

Ryan Nadel, I like this story. It's good stuff.

ryan

at 07:16 on September 16th, 2007

Thanks Sth Pacific.

I've updated the story with official reports of the numbers arrested and the estimation from protest organizers that 100,000 protestors attended. Thanks for the video. Keep an eye out for lots more pictures coming in from NowPublic contributors.

PEP

flagged this story as Good Stuff

at 03:31 on September 16th, 2007

Ryan Nadel, good stuff. I suspect that the demonstrators also included many "professional activists," as I call 'em.

Interesting difference: in the U.S. capital city, you can march and protest. Many a few get arrested. In other places--say, China--you can get run over by a tank. Big difference.