With prayers for peace, dozens of people left Baltimore on Friday to head for the nation?s capital to protest the Iraq war.
Carrying signs reading “Out of Iraq” and “The USA is the World?s No. 1 Terrorist,” about 75 people gathered at Penn Station to depart for the Friday rally, sponsored by the groups Christian Peace Witness for Iraq and the Olive Branch Interfaith Peace Partners.
“We believe the war is illegal, immoral and unwise,” said the Rev. Peter Nord, executive presbyter of the Presbytery of Baltimore. “It?s been time for a while to bring the troops home.”
The rally included a march on the U.S. Capitol, preceded by several worship services.
Around 200 protesters from the Baltimore area were expected to join thousands of others across the country to call for an end to the U.S. occupation in Iraq.
Since the war began about five years ago, nearly 4,000 U.S. soldiers have died. Supporters of the war say pulling out troops now could have disastrous consequences, including more terrorism in the U.S.
Last year, more than 200 were arrested during the D.C. peace rally, including some from Baltimore.
“We would have had more arrested if the weather wasn?t that awful,” Nord said, recalling last March?s cold and snowy day.
Pastor Andrew Foster Connors of Brown Memorial Park Avenue Presbyterian Church in Baltimore was one of the members of the Baltimore crew who was arrested.
“I?ve been arrested twice in calling for peace in Iraq,” he said.
The last time was at last year?s rally, when police told him he and others were standing too close to the White House. Another time, he was arrested at the Capitol when he was with a different group trying to place a coffin by the steps.
While Connors was not afraid of being arrested again, some planned a more subtle appearance with the same message.
“We want to be a peaceful witness for peace and to be obvious about prayer for peace,” said Lisa O?Reilly of St. Mary of the Assumption Catholic Church in Baltimore.
“Particularly as Catholics, we?re not just pro-life. We have to look at life at all stages.”
