On Saturday, thousands of people in European cities protested against President Bush's policy towards Iraq. Italian officials reported that about 20,000 people marched with anti-war slogans in front of a U.S. military base, while police monitored the crowd. Around 10,000 also gathered in Manchester, England, despite heavy rain, urging the U.S. and its allies to seek peaceful solutions to the Iraq crisis. Anti-war demonstrations also took place in other parts of England, where 20 individuals were arrested by police for obstruction. Washington, D.C. also witnessed anti-war protests and marches on Saturday. Demonstrators, wearing pink ribbons, marched around the White House. One of the organizers of the Washington protest stated that the choice of pink was to symbolize peace and friendship. In another event, the Associated Press reported that the Vatican's special envoy, who came to deliver the Pope's message against unilateral war without UN approval to President Bush in Washington, has returned to the Vatican. The special envoy stated that his discussions with President Bush were friendly, but noted, 'Sometimes, friendship alone is not enough.' He emphasized to U.S. government officials the importance of obtaining UN approval before entering into war.
On Saturday, thousands in European cities protested against President Bush's policy towards Iraq - 2003-03-09
On March 9, 2003, thousands protested across Europe and in Washington against President Bush's Iraq policy. Demonstrators called for peaceful resolutions to the crisis, while the Vatican's envoy urged the U.S. to seek UN approval before military action. These protests reflect widespread opposition to the impending war and highlight the international call for diplomacy.
👥 Key Players
⚡ Actions
📰 What Happened
Thousands protested against President Bush's Iraq policy in various European cities.
- Protesters protest U.S. Government
- Protesters protest U.S. Government
- Protesters protest U.S. Government
💡 Why It Matters
📚 Background
The protests signify a strong anti-war sentiment in Europe against U.S. actions in Iraq.
📝 Key Evidence
🏷️ Entities Mentioned
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Translation confidence: 90%