Saturday, March 21 Minneapolis Protest To Say: Stop U.S. Wars!

Minneapolis, MN – A highly visible anti-war protest will be held in Minneapolis on Saturday, March 21. The protest will mark the 12thanniversary of the start of the U.S. war in Iraq. The protest will call for an end to U.S. military intervention in Iraq, Syria and elsewhere.

The Minneapolis protest will gather at 1:00 PM along the sidewalks at Lake Street and Hiawatha Avenue in Minneapolis. At 1:30 PM there will be a march on Lake Street ending at Walker Church, 3104 16th Avenue South. A program will be held inside the church starting at 2:15 PM.

The local protest coincides with spring anti-war actions called for by the Spring Rising Coalition for March 17–21 to mark the anniversary of U.S. military intervention in Iraq in 2003. There will be an anti-war protest in Washington, DC, at the White House on Saturday.

The Minnesota Peace Action Coalition (MPAC) initiated planning for the Minneapolis events.

The March 21 protest is organized under the call of Stop U.S. Wars – No War in Iraq – Stop Bombing Syria, as well as opposing the continued U.S. military intervention in Afghanistan and calling for an end to drone strikes in Pakistan, Yemen, Somalia; for a full employment peace economy, not more war. The protest will also speak out against racism and Islamophobia.

Organizers believe that thousands of people will see the anti-war message at the very busy corner of Hiawatha Avenue and Lake Street.

A statement issued by organizers said in part, “March 2015 marks 12 years since the start of the U.S. war in Iraq. Now, the U.S. is again at war in Iraq and the war is expanding into Syria. The Obama Administration has requested a new Authorization for Use of Military Force from Congress, which will give a legal cover to more years of endless war.”

The statement goes on to say, “U.S. intervention caused the current crisis in Iraq with ISIS. A new round of U.S. war will not solve any issues for the people of Iraq or Syria. The U.S. war machine cannot solve any problems, it can only bring more death and destruction.

“The U.S. military does not intervene to help people, the U.S. military intervenes in the interests of corporations and profits, not people,” said the MPAC statement.

The statement goes on to say, “People need funds for jobs, education and housing, not new wars and interventions.”

A range of peace and anti-war groups as well as religious, student, labor and other organizations have endorsed the Minneapolis protest. For more information 612 275-2720 or 612 827-5364.