Anti-war protest in Canberra/ Australia

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PROTESTERS in Canberra today marched against Australia's involvement in what they call the "coalition of the killing" in Iraq. The protest came on the second day of rallies and marches across Australia and the world to mark the second anniversary of the United States' invasion of the middle-eastern nation in 2003. Around 150 people gathered in central Canberra just after midday and marched to the office of ACT Liberal Senator Gary Humphries


The march was designed to send a message to the federal government that people were opposed to last month's decision to double the number of Australian troops in Iraq with the deployment of a further 450 soldiers, protest organiser Nick Everett said.

It was time the Iraqis were left alone, Mr Everett, a member of the Socialist Alliance party, said. "I think there's plenty of evidence that the Iraqis oppose the US occupation," he said. Other speakers at the rally included a representative from the Canberra Islamic Council, the Greens party and Australians for Justice and Peace in Palestine.A protest march in Melbourne yesterday attracted around 1000 people.

Rallies will be held in Sydney, Newcastle, Byron Bay, Wollongong, Adelaide, Brisbane, Darwin, Townsville and Perth tomorrow. A poll earlier this week found Labor's popularity had outstripped the coalition's for the first time in seven months.Prime Minister John Howard admitted his decision to send extra troops had damaged his party's standing with the public.

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5744,12596805%255E1702,00.html

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