上百在美國非戰行軍舉行了

幾乎200個抗議者在被拿著的華盛頓特區被拘捕了在一次行軍期間要求隊伍回歸從伊拉克和喬治・布什的彈劾，美國總統。

組織者說100,000人們出席的星期六的抗議，但警察沒有證實圖。

當警察在抗議者使用了化學藥劑試圖攀登結束護攔在國會大廈大廈之外，拘捕發生了。

當他們前進了到國會大廈， 1,000個櫃臺抗議者聚集了緊密并且惱怒地歌頌了在非戰抗議者。

Demonstrators had gathered outside the White House before heading toward the US Capitol building.

The demonstrations come days after General David Petraeus, the senior US commander in Iraq, testified to the US congress on conditions in Iraq.

“One of the differences with this demonstration is that it is being led by Iraqi war veterans,” she said.

Veterans protest

Phil Aliff, 21, marched as a member of Iraq Veterans Against the War.

“I stayed [in Iraq] for a year, in Abu Ghraib and outside Fallujah,” he said.

“When we arrived, we were told we were here to bring stabilisation to the country.

“But we were not rebuilding anything. The Iraqis had only two hours of electricity. And I saw the atrocities committed by the Americans there.”

The arrests came after several dozen protesters carried out a “die-in”, lying on their backs in front of congress in an attempt to draw attention to the rising death toll in Iraq.

Many were arrested without a struggle after they jumped over a waist-high barrier.

But some grew angry as police with shields and riot gear attempted to push them back and police used chemical spray on at least two people.

‘Trust eroded’

Relatives of soldiers who are serving or had served in Iraq were a key group within the public demonstration.

Diane Santoriello held a photograph of her son Neil, who was killed in Iraq in August 2004.

“I am here to get congress to de-fund the war,” she said.

Brian Becker from the Answer (Act Now to Stop War and End Racism) coalition, the group organising the anti-war march, said Iraqi civilians wanted US forces out of their country.

“The vast majority of the people in the US want the war ended and the troops brought home now,” he said.

Speakers at the anti-war demonstration included Cindy Sheehan, an activist whose son was killed while serving in Iraq.

US public support for the war is at an all-time low, with 62 per cent of Americans believing that invading Iraq was a mistake, according to a New York Times/CBS poll published last week.

Counter-protest

Counter-protesters gathered near the anti-war march, frequently chanting “U-S-A” and waving US flags.

Retired Air Force Lt. Col. Robert ‘Buzz’ Patterson, speaking from a stage to crowds of people clad in camouflage, American flag bandanas and Harley Davidson jackets, said he wanted to send three messages.

“Congress, quit playing games with our troops. Terrorists, we will find you and kill you,” he said.

“And to our troops, we’re here for you, and we support you.”

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