Protests hit home for students

While the U.S.-led coalition launched its first attack on Iraq last week, protesters across the globe swarmed the streets of the world's largest cities. Though places like Cairo and San Francisco seem far from Bloomington, some students consider these events close to home.\nMore than 5,000 people marched toward the U.S. Embassy in Egypt's capital last Wednesday, many of whom were students of the American University at Cairo. Graduate student Noha Shawki was born in Cairo and lived there until she graduated high school. Shawki said she remembers only one other major demonstration in Cairo's past that is similar to this one, which occurred a year ago during the Israeli incursions in the West Bank. \nDuring the protest, AUC students called upon other Arab nations to support the Iraqi defense. Shawki said she believes religion is just one reason Egyptians oppose the war. \n"I do not think it's the only reason," Shawki said, "especially since there have been widespread protests in many countries that are not predominantly Muslim. I guess many people feel that there was no imminent threat emanating from Saddam Hussein's regime."\nAn Egyptian protester told Fox News that Americans shouldn't feel safe in the Arab region. Shawki said that while many people in Egypt and all over the world have problems with U.S. policy in the Middle East, she believes most people can make the distinction between American citizens and U.S. foreign policy.\n"When I was growing up in Cairo I had quite a bit of contact with Americans living in Cairo," she said. "I don't remember any of them ever being afraid or feeling unsafe despite the many crises. I do not think that this has changed because of the Iraqi crisis."\nOn the opposite side of the globe, sophomore Leah Schultz witnessed one of the largest protests in her home area, San Francisco. Schultz said it got to a point where the protests dominated the news.\n"I don't remember a time when anything got such big media attention," she said.\nThousands of demonstrators took over streets and blocked several exits from the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge last Thursday. One protester even committed suicide by jumping off the Golden Gate Bridge wearing a rope and a harness.\n"I think it's definitely gone overboard," Schultz said. "I think everyone is entitled to their opinion, but it's not fair to inconvenience everyone else."\nSchultz said she also believes this is bad publicity for the city, though extremely liberal views are the norm in California.\n"I think the country already knows that the West Coast is already more liberal," she said. "You wouldn't hear about something like this in Texas."\nSenior Deema Dabis did not expect to be involved in the anti-war movement on her spring break vacation. But she visited New York City where thousands of people have marched every day since the war began. On many occasions, Dabis said she saw armed soldiers walking around the city.\n"I've never seen something like that before," she said. "The mood in New York City is very tense."\nCNN reported a heavy presence of police officers. Dabis said she saw many people that were arrested.\n"The police just ran in and started arresting people for no reason," she said. "It's like we're turning into a police state."\nEleven New York police officers were maced and some had to be taken to hospitals. Freshman Dyan Kleinman, who lives in Westchester, N.Y., said she thinks things got out of hand.\n"The point of a protest is to speak your opinion -- not use actions that are inappropriate," Kleinman said. \nKleinman said a lot of New Yorkers' fears are negatively affecting their daily lives. She said she believes many people in New York are especially scared because no one could have predicted something so tragic as Sept. 11.\n"It's definitely having a dramatic impact on people just getting to work," Kleinman said. \nChicago is another major U.S. city that suffered one of the largest protests in the world. Over 500 arrests were made last Wednesday night when demonstrators blocked Lake Shore Drive during the city's evening rush hour traffic. Over the weekend, an estimated crowd of 10,000 packed inside Federal Plaza downtown where police stationed barriers between the opposing groups.