WASHINGTON -- Hundreds of gay anti-war demonstrators and straight
supporters of the U.S. policy in Iraq shouted at each other Saturday
from opposite sides of a street bordering the National Mall as
protesters formed a gay march to the Pentagon to denounce a war
entering its fifth year.
The gay anti-war group carried signs saying "U.S. Out of Iraq Now,"
"Stop Iraq War, No Iran War, Impeach" and "Illegal Combat." The other
side carried signs saying "Peace Through Strength," "al Qaeda
Appeasers On Parade" and "We Are At War, Liberals Root For the Enemy."
Police on horseback and foot separated the demonstrators, who were on
opposite sides of Constitution Avenue in view of the Lincoln Memorial.
Barriers also kept them apart.
Cheryl Davis, 62, a lesbian library assistant from Celina, Ohio,
endured a nine-hour overnight drive in the wake of a late-winter storm
to raise her voice against the conflict that has killed more than
3,200 members of the U.S. armed forces. "I just want peace," she said.
"I just have to do my part."
Protesters met at the starting point of the epic 1967 march on the
Pentagon, which began peacefully but turned ugly in clashes between
authorities and more radical elements of the crowd. More than 600 were
arrested that day. It was there that anti-war activist Abbie Hoffman
led the masses in chants, with the fanciful goal of levitating the
building.
Saturday's march was the main event in anti-war demonstrations around
the country. All other protests grew small crowds.
Police on horses ensured gay anti-war protesters and
counterdemonstrators stayed apart at the staging area. Several
thousand people, many of them service members, rallied in support of
the war. They played "The Battle Hymn of the Republic;" the gay anti-
war crowd danced to various show tunes.
Veterans, some from the Rolling Thunder motorcycle group, lined up at
the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.
Park Police Lt. Scott Fear said more than 200 gay people were arrested
from a crowd of several thousand protesters who marched to the White
House on Friday night after a gay peace service at the Washington
National Cathedral.
Those arrested were handcuffed, taken away on buses and fined $100 for
disobeying a lawful order or crossing a police line. They had
demonstrated on the sidewalk in front of the White House, where
protesters are required to continue moving.
The windows of the White House were dark, as President Bush was away
for the weekend at Camp David in Maryland.
The church service and weekend protests drew John Pattison, 29, from
Portland, Oregon, to his first gay anti-war rally. He said his
opposition to the war had developed over time.
"Quite literally on the night that shock and awe commenced, my life
partner and I toasted the end of the United States," Pattison said.
"We were quite proud and thought we were doing the right thing."
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