Thousands of protesters marched through the nation's capital Saturday to urge immediate withdrawal of troops from Iraq and Afghanistan.

Friday marked the seventh anniversary of the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq.

At least eight people, including activist Cindy Sheehan, were arrested by U.S. Park Police at the end of the march, after laying coffins at a fence outside the White House.

Demonstrators rallied near the White House and across the city centre on Saturday in a march sponsored by a coalition of anti-war groups, led by military veterans and activists.

The protesters chanted anti-war slogans and waved signs that read "We need jobs and schools, not war", as they called for an end to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Sheehan has been a vocal critic of the war since her 21-year-old son Casey was killed in Iraq in April 2004. She staged a prolonged demonstration in 2005 outside former President George W. Bush's ranch near Crawford, Texas. Sheehan lived with his family for a year while traveling to peace events.

The protest drew a smaller crowd than the tens of thousands who marched in 2006 and 2007. The exact number of protesters was unclear, as D.C. authorities do not give out crowd estimates. Organizers estimated the march, which stretched for several blocks, at 10,000.

"Arrest that war criminal!" Sheehan shouted outside the White House before her arrest, referring to Obama.

At a rally before the march, Sheehan asked whether "the honeymoon was over with that war criminal in the White House" — an apparent reference to Obama — prompting moderate applause.



Agencies


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