Worldwide peace demonstrations. More than six million demonstrators.
21.20PM GMT, 15 Feb 2003
More than six million demonstrators have turned out across the world in a wave of protest urging the United States not to rush into a war against Iraq.
From Canberra and Cape Town to Karachi and Chicago, people from all walks of life have taken to the streets to accuse US President George W Bush of being a bloodthirsty warmonger in the biggest demonstration of 'people power' since the Vietnam War.
The largest outcry against war occurred in those European countries whose leaders have vocally supported Mr Bush's position at the United Nations.
A million people marched in the streets of Rome, 1.3 million turned out in Barcelona, two million in Madrid, and in New York, officials estimated the turnout there at 250,000.
Thousands of demonstrators and peace activists have marched through the streets of Baghdad and a large protest was held outside the US embassy in Tokyo.
They all added their voices to those of marchers in London where more than a million people are estimated to have marched in the country's biggest ever protest - creating a major headache for Tony Blair, busy with a Labour Party conference in Glasgow.
Mr Bush and Mr Blair suffered a setback to their efforts to win international backing for early military action to rid Iraq of suspected weapons of mass destruction in a dramatic showdown at the United Nations.
France, Russia, China, Germany and other nations said UN weapons inspections should continue in statements that seemed set to slow the introduction of a resolution the United States and Britain want to authorise the use of force.
French Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin boasted of a triumph in France's efforts to brake Washington's push for war after the French foreign minister won applause for his call for at least another month of inspections. |
