Thousands take to the streets to oppose the inauguration  of George W. Bush  

Next: March 19 Central Park - Troops Out Now!

Tens of thousands protest the Inauguration of George W.  Bush

Thousands took to the streets of Washington, DC to protest  the inauguration of George W. Bush.  The International  Action Center organized contingents from New York, Boston,  Philadelphia, Baltimore, Cleveland, Detroit, Raleigh, and  many other cities to participate in the demonstrations,  hand out literature, and distribute placards.

Thousands of people turned out to line the inaugural  parade route, despite attempts by the Bush Administration  to prohibit protesters from being present. For months, the  Bush Administration had been fighting to stage manage the  inauguration and present the facade of a united front in  support of the Bush agenda of global war, corporate greed,  and repression.  The ANSWER Coalition won a significant  legal victory and obtained a permit to assemble directly  on the parade route.  As a result, thousands of protesters  were able to gather at a rally near the beginning of the  parade route and many more lined up all along the parade  route. As Bush rode down Pennsylvania Avenue, he was  confronted by protesters holding signs all along the  route, many of which said "George Bush: Guilty of War Crimes."

Unfortunately, many thousands more were stopped at  "security checkpoints," set up by the Bush Administration  in an attempt to minimize the impact and visibility of the  protests.  However, the people engaged in spontaneous  protest at the check points, chanting, "George Bush -  Terrorist," and holding anti-war placards and banners.

In addition, thousands marched through the streets of  Washington DC, beginning at Malcolm X Park.  This loud and  spirited demonstration, consisting largely of youth, was  organized by the DC Antiwar Network.

Militant youth, including members of FIST (Fight  Imperialism-Stand Together), participated in breakaway  marches despite police brutality, which included the use of pepper spray, tasers, and clubs.  One group of youth  eventually challenged the Bush Administration's tactics by  directly confronting the police at the massive fences  erected to keep protesters off of the parade route under  the pretense of security.

Many demonstrators at both locations carried signs  distributed by the Troops Out Now Coalition that said  "Troops Out Now - March 19 - Central Park!" and "End the  Occupation Now - Iraq, Palestine, & Everywhere."

Bush's Speech--a declaration of war on the world

His speech was an unabashedly aggressive pro-war threat on  the entire globe.  His call to empire, veiled in words  like "freedom" and "liberty," delivered in what some  described in an "evangelical" or "messianic" tone,  asserted his divine right to intervene anywhere, anytime.   It did not mention any country by name--it was instead,  an open declaration of domination and endless war--a  campaign to globalize Abu-Ghraib.

The speech was seen around the globe as an ominous  beginning for Bush's second term.  The British daily The  Guardian summed up world-wide concern in an editorial  under the headline "Fireworks in Washington, despair  around the world."

Bush's Inaugural address makes it clear, now more than  ever, that we have to continue to organize a unified mass  movement to struggle for justice.  In his twenty-one  minute speech, he did not once mention the millions of  people who have lost their jobs under his Administration.   He did not mention the tens of millions who are without  healthcare.  He made no promise to address the crises in  education, housing, or AIDS. He did not mention Iraq once,  even though 100,000 Iraqi people and nearly 1400 U.S.  troops have died because of his colonial war.  He did not  mention any social programs, except for social security,  which he plans to turn over to be looted by his corporate  backers.

It is clear that the antiwar movement in the US has a  unique responsibility to confront and stop this drive for  global empire.  Unity among all antiwar and progressive  forces is now more important than ever.

Next Step:  March 19 - Central Park, and across the globe

The weekend of March 19-20 is the second anniversary of  the beginning of the U.S. "shock and awe" attack on Iraq.   Antiwar and progressive organizations worldwide have  called for protests on this weekend.

In the U.S., the Troops Out Now coalition has called for a  massive regional march on Central Park on March 19 to  demand the immediate, complete, and unconditional  withdrawal of all US troops from Iraq.

A few months ago, Mayor Bloomberg, the NYPD, and Bush told  us that we could not march to and rally in Central Park.  We do not accept this decision and are determined to  challenge it by assembling tens of thousands of people to  retake Central Park --our Park. The antiwar movement  cannot afford, and must never again agree to, this  infringement on our rights, especially in a city as  important as NYC.

In addition, there will be local and regional  demonstrations in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Atlanta,  Washington DC, and throughout the country.  There will  also be a major regional demonstration in Fayetteville ,  North Carolina. Fayetteville is home to Fort Bragg, which  is the home base for the 82nd Airborne Division and many  of the Army's elite units.  For more information on this  rally, see: http://www.mfso.org .

How You can get involved:

1) Endorse: http://troopsoutnow.org/endorse.html  2) Organize transportation from your area to NYC on March  19 - call 212-633-6646 for details. 3) Download flyers from the Troops Out Now website to help  get the word out.

http://troopsoutnow.org