Last Saturday, Kingston joined cities around the world in a global day of protest. More than 200 students, professors and local residents marched to protest the American occupation of Iraq and recognize the one-year anniversary of the invasion.
A caravan of bright balloons, posters and flags punctuated the grey sky. Protest songs, drumbeats and cheers of “one, two, three, four, we don’t want your stupid war!” echoed down Princess Street.
Queen’s Against War planned the event in conjunction with other organizations including Peace Kingston, the Kingston NDP and the Ontario Public Interests Research Group. Around the world, thousands marched to recognize the one-year anniversary of the invasion. Protesters assembled at Stauffer Library at 1 p.m., erecting sign boards painted with the words “Wage Peace,” and chanting encouragement at students to join their protest.
Gavin Anderson, a representative of the Kingston District Labour Council, and Queen’s professor Geoff Smith gave preliminary speeches.
“We have been witness to one of the worst years in modern history,” Smith said. “We have to let Paul Martin and our other leaders know. “We are here to tell them that this war in Iraq was wrong from the beginning,” he said, adding that the Americans began the war out of self-interest.
“We are witnessing error and tragedy in the name of American power,” he said.
Anderson said Canadians must remain committed to opposing the American occupation of Iraq.
“We cannot just be proud to be marching for peace,” he said. “We have to be diligent.
“We have a prime minister who wants a closer alliance with America, we cannot relax.”
The crowd, led by a police cruiser, marched down Union, Barrie and Princess Streets and stopped in front of City Hall.
Select speakers, including university students, a member of the Kingston military community and city councillor Beth Pater, spoke about the war and the continued occupation of Iraq.
Brendan Elliott, a member of Queen’s Against War, organized the rally.
He said he was pleased with Saturday’s turnout.
“I’m happy about everything,” Elliot said. “This is citizenship at its best.
“Civil disobedience is the highest form of citizenship.”
Eman Ebed, ArtSci ’04, said she was concerned about the economic implications of the occupation. “I’m against it economically,” she said. “This type of occupation, in the name of democracy, is wrong.”
She added resistance to the war was still strong.
“It’s a year afterwards, and millions of people still care,” she said.
Her sentiments were echoed by many other protesters.
David Burling, Sci ’06, said he was opposed to the war from the its very beginning. “I’m not interested in the States’ profiteering of the Iraqi people,” he said.
He said he supported the idea of an international occupation with no economic interests.
Martin Blondeau, an engineer for Bombardier and a Kingston resident, said the war in Iraq was unnecessary.
“I felt there was no reason to go to war a year ago,” he said. “There was nothing legitimate, there was no threat.”
Blondeau said protest was particularly important in an election year.
“There are millions marching today worldwide,” he said. “In Canada, we need to remind everyone of that in an election year.”
Jen Jones, ArtSci ’04, was protesting for personal reasons.
“I’m here because I believe in peace,” she said. “When you have peace in your soul, you must offer it to people.
“You can help people choose, yes or no, if they accept peace,” Jones said.
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