War Protests: local, international

While whipping winds and brutal cold kept many inside the comfort of their homes, nearly 500 people of all ages and backgrounds gathered at IU's Sample Gates to rally against the possible war with Iraq. \nOrganized by the Progressive Faculty Coalition, the rally was the largest gathering of its type in Indiana. \nMike Gasser, a member of the five person steering committee, said the rally was more than his group had expected. \n"Everyone was very impressed," he said. "People were really in good spirits."\nPlanned only a week ago, the rally was a bit informal but managed to serve the same purpose as other anti-war protests across the nation and the world on Saturday.\nPeople started to gather shortly before noon at the Sample Gates at Indiana and Kirkwood Avenues. When the clock struck noon, protesters started marching west on Kirkwood towards the Monroe County Courthouse. Chanting, stomping and waving their anti-war signs, many walked through stoplights, backing up traffic for several minutes.\nUpon arriving, the group immediately made their purpose clear. A megaphone was passed around to people who wanted to speak. While some people chose to talk, others found different ways to be heard. \nSongs, including "Give Peace a Chance" by John Lennon, were sung by some, while others danced, played the bongos or chanted against the war.\n"What do we want?" one women shouted into the megaphone.\n"Peace," the crowd responded.\n"When do we want it?" the woman yelled.\n"Now," the crowd answered.\nEva Cherniavsky, a member of the steering committee that organized the rally, said she was touched by the outcome of the event. \n"I thought it was really heartening to see 500 people out there in the freezing cold," she said.\nAfter nearly a half hour of rallying at the courthouse, the group walked around the square, flaunting their signs and letting their voices be heard. Cars honked, people waved, some stuck their fists out of their car windows in support.\nGasser seemed a little surprised that things went so smoothly. \n"Usually when you do something like this you get some hecklers," he said. "But I heard no insults."\nAfter walking around the square, individuals continued to speak while others found their own ways of protest. Following the time spent at the courthouse, everyone marched back to People's Park.\nGasser said this rally had four times the attendance of a previous rally in December. \nAlthough there were many people who took part in the event, IU senior Luke Hobson said there could have been more students involved. \n"I'm definitely opposed to the war," he said. "This being a fairly liberal campus, I expected more students"