News Release for March 18

Ravenhub and I are constantly writing News Releses for the movement, so I decided to post one here. If any Fly By Night readers want to use it for their own events, feel free to steal from it as much as possible:

News Alert


For immediate release:
Tuesday, March 14, 2006


Saturday anti-war protest
in Minneapolis to mark anniversary
of the start of Iraq war with call to
“Bring the Troops Home Now!”

An anti-war protest will be held in Minneapolis on Saturday, March 18, calling for an immediate end
to the three-year long U.S. military intervention in Iraq and a demand for immediate withdrawal of
U.S. troops in Iraq.

The event begins at Hennepin and Lagoon Avenues at 1 p.m., followed by a march to the Basilica of St. Mary for an indoor program at 2:15 p.m.

The U.S. war against Iraq began with the bombing of Baghdad in March 2003. The war has now cost over 220 billion dollars, the lives of thousands of Iraqis and over 2300 dead U.S. soldiers. Across the U.S. and around the world, including in Baghdad and Basra, Iraq, anti-war protests are planning to mark the anniversary of the start of the war.

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Saturday antiwar protest page 2

The local event is being organized by the March 18 Coalition, a group of peace, anti-war, student, faith based and other organizations. The coalition supports four major statements of purpose:

Not one more death!
Not one more dollar! Act now for peace!
Bring the Troops Home Now!
Stop the U.S.War in Iraq!

The protest will assemble at 1 p.m. at the Library Plaza & Mall Area near Hennepin and Lagoon Avenues in Minneapolis. At 1:30 p.m. there will be a march to the Basilica of St. Mary (17th & Hennepin Ave.) where an indoor program will be held.

Joining the Minneapolis protest will be a contingent of members of Military Families Speak Out (MFSO). MFSO is a national organization composed of family members who are opposed to the war and who have relatives in the military. A member of MFSO will be among the speakers at the event.

In the global call for antiwar activities, the three major national U.S. anti-war coalitions, United for Peace and Justice, the ANSWER (Act Now to Stop War and End Racism) Coalition and the Troops
Out Now Coalition (TONC) are working together toward one goal. They hope to bring together as many people as possible to express their opposition to the continuing war in Iraq. Each coalition lists dozens of events in cities large and small on their websites. UFPJ reports over 400 events are planned across the U.S. March 18–20.

Among the groups helping to build the March 18 event in Minneapolis are Women Against Military Madness, Twin Cities Peace Campaign, Anti-War Committee, Youth Against War and Racism, Minnesota Alliance of Peacemakers and many others.

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