esterday through Manhattan to demand an immediate withdrawal of US troops from Iraq just hours after an American soldier died in a roadside explosion in Baghdad - the 70th US fighter killed in that country this month.

"End this war, bring the troops home," read one of the many signs held by protesters during the march more than three years after the war in Iraq began. The mother of a Marine killed two years ago in Iraq held a picture of her son, born in 1984 and killed 20 years later.

Cindy Sheehan, a vociferous critic of the war whose 24-year-old son also died as a soldier in Iraq, joined in the march, as did actress Susan Sarandon and the Rev. Jesse Jackson.

One group marched under the banner "Veterans for Peace." Some marchers came from as far as Maryland and Vermont.

The demonstrators stretched for about 10 city blocks as they headed down Broadway.

A police spokesman declined to give an estimate of the size of the crowd, although organizers said there were 300,000 people. There were no arrests.

"We are here today because the war is illegal, immoral, and unethical. . . . We must bring the troops home," said the Rev. Al Sharpton.

Along with their call for the return of the troops from Iraq, organizers said, the march was meant to express opposition to any military action against Iran. The event was organized by the group United for Peace and Justice.

"We've been lied to, and they're going to lie to us again to bring us a war in Iran," said Marjori Ramos, 43, of Staten Island. "I'm here because I had a lot of anger, and I had to do something."

Steve Rand, an English teacher from Waterbury, Vt., held a poster announcing, "Vermont Says No to War."

"I'd like to see our troops come home," he said.

The march stepped off shortly after noon from Union Square, with the demonstrators heading to downtown Manhattan for a rally at Foley Square between the US courthouse and a federal office building.

The death toll in Iraq this month has been the highest for a single month in 2006 before yesterday's fatality. Although that figure is well below some of the bloodiest months of the Iraq conflict, it marks a sharp increase over March, when 31 American service members were killed. January's death toll stood at 62 and February's at 55. In December, 68 Americans died.

At least 2,399 members of the US military have died since the war began.

In his weekly radio address yesterday, President Bush warned Americans that there would be "more tough fighting ahead in Iraq and more days of sacrifice and struggle."

Bush has refused to set a timetable for withdrawing the 133,000 US troops in Iraq, despite growing American disapproval of the war and of his presidency.

He said the formation of a unity government in Iraq would mark "the beginning of a new chapter in America's involvement" in Iraq three years after a US-led invasion that toppled Saddam Hussein.

"As Iraqis continue to make progress toward a democracy that can govern itself, defend itself, and sustain itself, more of our troops can come home with the honor they have earned," Bush said.

He said the new leaders of Iraq face many challenges, including establishing security forces to defeat terrorists, rebuilding the country's infrastructure, and strengthening the economy.

The president sent Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld to Iraq last week to urge the nation's leaders to settle their differences and form a unity government.

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350,000 March for Peace, Justice, Justice and Democracy in New York City

United for Peace and Justice | Press Release

Saturday 29 April 2006

Largest antiwar labor turnout in US history.

Oscar Winners Susan Sarandon, Mercedes Ruehl and Jonathan Demme, Reverend Jesse Jackson, Reverend Al Sharpton, Hurricane Survivors, Iraq War Veterans, Military Families, Immigrant Rights Activists, Religious Leaders and Labor Unions Join Together to Call for New Priorities

29 April 2006, New York, New York: The streets of New York City echoed today with the chants, songs and shouts of at least 350,000 people from across the United States. Mobilized around the calls to end the war in Iraq, to say no to any attack on Iran, and to support the rights and dignity of all people, including immigrants and women, the marchers brought a renewed urgency to the clear demand for change. The march featured the largest antiwar labor contingent in US history.

Initiated by a historic alliance linking a diverse coalition of national organizations - United for Peace and Justice, Rainbow/PUSH Coalition, the National Organization for Women, Friends of the Earth, Climate Crisis Coalition, US Labor Against the War, Veterans for Peace, National Youth and Student Peace Coalition, People's Hurricane Relief Fund - the March for Peace, Justice and Democracy embodied the understanding that all those working for such goals must come together to right the reckless, dangerous, and wrong-headed direction the U.S. government has been following.

The march kicked off at noon on a sunny Saturday in Manhattan. The lead contingent included Oscar winning actors Susan Sarandon and Mercedes Ruehl; Oscar-winning film director Jonathan Demme; writer/actor Malachy McCourt; NYC Transport Workers Union leader Roger Toussaint; Air America host Randi Rhodes; Michael Berg, whose son was the first U.S. civilian hostage killed in Iraq; Reverend Jesse Jackson; Reverend Al Sharpton; Gold Star mother Cindy Sheehan; Faiza Al-Araji, a peace and women's rights advocate from Iraq; John Wilhem, president of UNITE/HERE; National Organization for Women President Kim Gandy; and Anne Wright, the first State Department diplomat to resign protesting the Iraq War.

At the march's conclusion in Foley Square, a vibrant sea of flags, banners and signs welcomed marchers to the "Peace and Justice Festival." Issue tents featured speakers, literature, t-shirt sales, food and music highlighting the key issues of the wide-ranging March coalition: the war in Iraq and threats of war and U.S. nuclear attacks on Iran, a Palestine tent featuring Q&A on Israel/Palestine and folkloric dance in an Arab-style "café," counter-recruitment campaigners, a Labor tent featuring the NYC Labor Chorus, and others. A special Children's Peace Tent featured puppet-making and peace crane art projects, "Putt for Peace" and other games, face-painting, musicians and jugglers. Films, music, performances by the Raging Grannies and many other activities were featured as well.

According to Leslie Cagan, national coordinator of the 1,500-organization strong United for Peace and Justice Coalition, "An unprecedented range of organizations, committed to varied constituencies and a wide range of priorities, came together to march today. We all recognize that until we end this lethal war in Iraq - a war that is destroying so many lives in Iraq and here, and costing so many billions of dollars so desperately needed for rebuilding lives, cities and countries - that we cannot succeed at reclaiming our democracy."

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