Thousands March for Peace

About 10,000 people were marching for peace in Philadelphia Saturday, joining more than 1 million people around the world protesting the threatened U.S. war with Iraq.

In Philadelphia, protesters include Quakers marched in silence, while a Korean group banged drums and students chanted peace slogans.

Penn student Lincoln Ellis, who's from Spokane, Wash., said it is important to show there are Americans who oppose the U.S. position.

Police estimated the crowd at 10,000, and reported no arrests.

The march, which wove through Center City for more than two hours, was ending at the Liberty Bell, with poetry and speakers on the agenda at a Quaker meeting house.

New Jersey Protesters
Meanwhile, the "Peace Train" left Red Bank, NJ, Saturday morning with 150 enthusiastic antiwar protesters aboard, bound for a massive demonstration in Manhattan against a possible war with Iraq.

Peace activists boarded trains throughout the state to be part of the New York rally, which organizers hoped would draw 100,000 people.

"We want the world to know that Americans -- the people of America -- don't want war," said Carol Gay, who helped organize the Red Bank protesters. "Stop this insane, mad rush to war. Iraq is no threat to us."

As she spoke, others carried cardboard placards with slogans including "No War In Iraq," "Shut The Door On War," and "If The War Starts, We Are All Collateral Damage." In the background, someone played a tape of Cat Stevens' antiwar hit "Peace Train" over and over.

Gay, whose group NJ Labor Against War rallied at the NJ Transit station before the 10:28am train arrived, said an attack on Iraq will actually make America less safe by destabilizing an already volatile region and encouraging future terrorist attacks.

"If Bush attacks Iraq, it could set off World War III," she said. "It's a reckless, impetuous thing to do."

She called such an attack "Bush's war of mass distraction, trying to divert attention to policies that have declared war on working people and families in this country."

Sean Kinnevy of Eagleswood Township protested the Persian Gulf War in 1991 and was at the Red Bank protest against a sequel.

"I want to show the world that most people in the U.S. are for peace and against a war with Iraq," he said. "While the White House won't listen to the people, hopefully the congressmen and senators will."

Similar rallies were scheduled in New Jersey for Pleasantville, Englewood, Mahwah, Ridgewood, Teaneck, Bridgewater, Cherry Hill, Hamilton, Jersey City, Montclair, New Brunswick, Newark, Plainfield and Princeton Junction before protesters boarded trains or buses to the New York rally.

Rose Marie Cedola wasn't too optimistic about the prospect of war being averted, but said she had to demonstrate anyway, despite a bad cold.

"I'm here to protest the inevitable war with Iraq," she said. "It doesn't at all seem justified. We need great diplomats, not great warmongers."

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Author: Copyright 2002 by NBC 10. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.