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Antiwar Update

Seattle Protesters Remain on Code Orange

by Amy Jenniges

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Casey Kelbaugh

So local antiwar protesters are in the position of keeping up the effort to stop the war before it starts. While the plan a month or two ago was to focus on the day the war did start and coordinate "emergency response" actions ["Shut Down the Town," Amy Jenniges, Jan 1], lately activists are concentrating on war-prevention efforts--like the massive February 15 protest, which drew at least 20,000 people (some organizers estimated the crowd at around 30,000) for a march through the downtown area.

Some local antiwar groups have discussed staging a similar March 15 rally, to coincide with marches in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C. As the date approaches, however, no Seattle group has officially organized a large protest--although Not In Our Name Seattle (NION) is planning to organize some sort of action on the day of the bicoastal rallies.

This week, several groups--led by NION--put together a March 5 event (dubbed a "moratorium to stop the war on Iraq") at Westlake Center; several simultaneous actions were being planned as we went to press. Students planned to walk out of class and meet at Seattle Central Community College, while other organizers hoped 1,000 protesters would gather at Westlake Park at 2:00 p.m.

And even though antiwar activists are holding out hope that war will be averted, plans are still in place for an emergency response--triggered by bombing in Iraq, a declaration of war, or the deployment of troops. On the day any (or all) of these three things happen, folks will gather at the downtown Federal Building at 5:00 p.m., marching to Westlake and back at 7:00 p.m. A seven-day vigil at the Federal Building will begin that night. The next day, students are planning a citywide walkout, and antiwar protesters are planning to meet at Westlake for a 4:30 p.m. rally.

amy@thestranger.com