"Coalition Of The Willing" Continues To Grow

In the UK, many anti-war protesters took to the streets on bikes to express their opposition to the coalition assault. The protest caused traffic problems in cities including London and Sheffield and followed the wave of demonstrations across the UK yesterday.

There is so much love being spread for America's war coalition, America had to close 13 of their embassies and consulates apparently because the protesters couldn't be killed by long range missiles fired by "brave" US forces.

The US embassy warned its citizens in on Friday to avoid the anti-war demonstration being held in Amsterdam on Saturday because it may have an "anti-American character" and "possibly escalate into violence".


In Milan, more than 150,000 gathered to protest against the war.

In Berlin, schoolchildren placed candles on a street leading to the US embassy, which was sealed off by police, heavy concrete barriers and fences. Banners hung on police barriers carried slogans such as "common sense ends when violence begins" and "boycott US products".

In Brussels In Brussels, police used water cannon and tear gas to disperse hundreds of protesters who were throwing stones outside the US embassy. Organisers said 30,000 people joined the protest, though police put the figure at 17,000.

More than 150,000 demonstrators gathered in Athens and in cities around Greece as a nationwide general strike to protest against the war in Iraq brought the country to a standstill.

In the land of Congress' best friend, there were more than 80,000 protesters who took to the streets of Paris to the Place de la Concorde near the American embassy in a loud harangue against the war. Even Americans living in Paris joined in, fustigating against the Bush Administration, declaring: "Americans against the war. Bring our troops home."

In Egypt, riot police used water cannons and attack dogs to keep anti-war demonstrators away from the US embassy.

Protesters hurled stones, pounded cars and shouted about the US and Egypt's leaders. "We want the flag down. We don't want America here at all," said one demonstrator. Egyptian riot police used water canon and batons to beat back crowds throwing rocks and trying to advance on the US embassy in Cairo. "We just wanted to tell the Americans they are no longer welcome here," said student leader Fadlallah Abu Wafia.

In Yemen, three demonstrators and one policemen were killed in demonstrations.

In Buenos Aires, Argentina, federal police fired tear gas grenades and rubber bullets to scatter demonstrators who stoned the US embassy, burned an American flag and chanted slogans describing the US president, George Bush, as "a fascist terrorist".

In Sidney, anti-war protesters set fire to newspapers belonging to a south-west Sydney newsagency and spray-painted "Kill Bush", "Kill Howard" and "Kill Blair" on walls nearby.

Hundreds of Ecuadorans marched on the US embassy in the capital, Quito, burning US flags and chanting "Bush is an assassin".

Dozens of activists converged on the American embassy in Buddhist Thailand. About 7,000 Muslims in Kota Baharu city in eastern Malaysia burned British and US flags as well as effigies of Bush and British prime minister, Tony Blair.

On the homefront, in the largest show of anti-war civil disobedience since the Vietnam War, thousands of activists swarmed downtown San Francisco on Thursday, paralyzing traffic in dozens of intersections and wreaking havoc on businesses in the Financial district. More than 1,400 demonstrators arrested. Assistant Police Chief Alex Fagan Sr. called it the largest, most chaotic protest in 30 years. "Absolute anarchy,'' he said.

And perhaps best summarizing the "democratic" mentality of the PRO-war partisans and Iraqi liberators in America were the counter-demonstrators. One, in Mississippi, a renowned bastion of intelligence, civility and sensibility, carried a sign saying "support the US or keep your mouth shut.". True democracy, Bush-style. As always, the world can look to Mississippi for guidance and keen perception of world events.

To get the mind off war and killing, tonight out at Southpaw in Park Slope, the Dutch band Bettie Serveert will be playing.