Thousands March Against U.S. Presence in Iraq

Sonali Kolhatkar, host of the radio show "Uprising" on KPFK-FM (90.7), called for an end to U.S. military occupation "in Iraq, Afghanistan, Palestine -- and everywhere." Judging from the T-shirts and banners, support for the Palestinians seemed to be the second-most popular cause of the day. Members of International A.N.S.W.E.R. (Act Now to Stop War and End Racism), which sponsored the event, sold pro-Palestinian shirts stating, "I will live as a guerrilla, I will go on as a guerrilla." Elizabeth Baker, a coalition member, said the shirts didn't necessarily promote violence, but "a guerrilla heart and mind."

"We support the right of people's self-determination," she said. "That's the bottom line."

Many protesters said they were concerned that the $87 billion the Bush administration is seeking in additional funding from Congress to reconstruct Iraq and Afghanistan would enrich American corporations that have already been granted reconstruction contracts.

Santa Monica resident George Williams, 62, said, "The money isn't going to go to Iraq ... [it's] going to go into the pockets" of large corporations.