The counter protesters, "The Gathering of Eagles", were a puny representation of the opposition. We the protesters were at least 50,000 in numbers, but the other side were 500-800 at most. Yet the news reports I see so far give equal coverage to THEM. The arrests occurred as described by willing participants. The show of force, at least visually, was awesome, but in the end, toothless. So many of us were willing to be arrested, that "they" didn't have the manpower to do it. So "they" stopped at a number they could handle, and intimidated the others into going away. So much for "free speech". We had a beautiful day of protest that couldn't be ignored by the authorities, the tourists, and the residents of Washington, D.C.

They sure were a vile, abusive and mentally unbalanced gang.

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What is the licence for the last ("gathering of eagles") image?
I'd like to use that image in Wikipedia, which needs either "public domain" or "Creative Commons" (but without commercial or no derivates restriction).

I've just found the page here:
dc.indymedia.org/media/all/display/34555/index.php

Which tells me that the license forbids commercial use. I'd like to use that image in the Wikipedia article on Islamophobia, so I'd be glad, if you could remove that restriction. Thank you.

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I'm amazed that I haven't seen any pictures of the IVAW in any of the mainstream news accounts of the protest. The pictures of the vets leading the march with the black flags, or getting arrested together at the Capitol, are incredibly powerful... why are they nowhere (but Indymedia)?

I was one of the protesters who were arrested. There were 193 people in the holding area with me and others were brought to the jail, so the number arrested is more than 193. I truly don’t understand the way the media portrayed the counter protesters, the media makes it sound like they were just protesting for the troops like we were, only for the other side. That is a lie. Some of them maybe, but a majority of them were calling the honorable Iraq veterans traitors and even attacking people. But even with that they had absolutely no impact on the protest besides to give us even more inspiration to do what we had come to do. we marched to the capital, lied down to signify the dead soldiers knowing full well it was an illegal act that we could be arrested for, thanks to George bush declaring that it was civil disobedience. As we were lying down a ruckus started not too far from me and I heard someone yell "their arresting the troops". At that point first the troops jumped the wall then the rest of did, one by one, knowing full well we were going to be arrested. I’d like to see those cowards that call themselves "the gathering of eagles" actually stand up for real veterans and put themselves in harm’s way for them. They couldn’t even get a mediocre showing; I looked down at the police in riot gear, then at the many, many thousands of fellow protesters and made my way to the capital police willing to take the beating if it came. But that was nothing in comparison to the bravery that the veterans showed. While we were higher up the capitol steps in the temporary holding area with the tie wrap bands holding our hands behind our backs and sitting down, two of the veterans discussed a move to stand up when the area was full. When there was a bunch of us up there we did it. Those of us who could get up on our own helping those who couldn’t while our hands were behind our backs. We continued to protest on the bus and even continued to stand up and fight for our rights while in the holding room at 67 K Street. They were denying us food and our phone calls, along with keeping some of the protesters in their plastic bands on buses and without water until midnight, causing some to bleed and bruise. They were processing us very slow. In the span of four hours at one point they only processed 3 in four hours. By 3am we were demanding better treatment. they were saying the computers weren’t working correctly, but after we got progressively more and more defiant the computers magically started working and we were processed much faster. The amount of laziness on the part of the capital police was incredible. They would work for 5 minutes then literally, true to the clique would go eat dunkin donuts and drink coffee while telling us to quit complaining about being tired and hungry, because they were too... our 1st amendment rights were trampled on many times on Saturday and I am travelling back to Washington on Oct. 23 to plead not guilty. The capital of the United States of America is the people’s house and as a citizen of this country I have the right to free speech and assembly. We were never violent, we committed no crime.

190 people were arrested...what do you expect to happen??? Do you think the police can just snap their fingers and process 190 people? No food or water? You went to jail...it's not a resort. These are the things you have to consider before you get arrested. I am sure all those officers enjoyed staying all night away from their families on a really nice weekend so they could process you fools. Good luck with your not guilty plea...you just don't get it. The First Amendment protects the right to peaceably assemble... throwing signs, cursing police officers, lighting fires, and breaking police lines are not protected under the First Amendment. Before you start hiding behind the Bill of Rights you best know what rights are protected and what actions violate the law and therfore are not.

whoever wrote this is a fucking moron. i know for a fact not everyone arrested threw signs or attacked anyone, and myself, i didn't even touch the police barricade, I was pulled over it.

My sister was arrested. She was the 10th person 2 cross the barricade. She's the 1 flashing the peace sign in her pic.

I too was arrested on Saturday. I was proud to sit cuffed with 200 other brave Americans who, like myself, refuse to accept fascist belligerence sitting down. Our rights were gone before the day began. It is a sad day when Americans can not protest peacefully outside the place built to house such assembly.

When war criminals in suits and ties walk around DC paying the paychecks of the Nazis who imprisoned us, and we're jailed for using our freedom of speech, THERE IS NO JUSTICE.

RISE. ORGANIZE.

infidelohc (at) yahoo.com

You have NO right to a phone call. You do have a right to a lawyer. Please provide the official dource for claim that you have a right to a phone call.

Your story would also be much better if you wrote in paragraphs.

If you were not willing to go through this exeperience, why cross the lines and get arrested?

Good luck in court.

how do you get a lawyer without a phone call? ET even had to phone home.

That's great! I couldn't stop laughing when I read these posts. Chris Phillips defends himself and others against claims the protesters were being disorderly (including swearing at police) by swearing and calling someone a moron! That's great. Way to go Chris Phillips!

I think people are forgetting about the spirit of the Constitution. The laws of this country are not inline with that spirit and have not been for quite sometime.

If you read the words of the founding fathers, it becomes clear that what the protesters are doing is what they're meant to be doing as citizens of this country. In dark times like these, our founding fathers would have expected us to overthrow our government - by force, if necessary - to preserve the good name of our country, the spirit of democracy, and the liberty of the people.

Sadly, our founding fathers did not anticipate things such as a corrupt police force, the National Guard, or the US military. These times really illustrate the need for people to have more control of their government, not less, and for the people to have control over the military - not the executive branch. The people are better represented by the Congress as it's easier for people to put pressure on them. Bypassing that body of the government when it comes to the military is a disaster. And there are far too many cases that just illustrate the need for the police to be accountable to the people of a community. Civil servants are supposed to be just that.

My God that was well put! I am ashamed of the people in this Nations. 'Ashamed of what Americans have become. If these people had existed in the time of the birth of this Nation this Nation would have never been born. We should be leaving our homes and marching down the highways to Washington to get these monsters out of our government and hang them.

Wow, your so right its amazing.

"Sadly, our founding fathers did not anticipate things such as a corrupt police force, the National Guard, or the US military."

Actually, they did anticipate all of these things. They wanted to reap the benefits of them, instead of the Crown. The so-called "American Revolution" didn't mean shit to anyone who already wasn't a wealthy landholder.

My apologies for the multiple posts. They were certainly unintentional. There appears to be a slight problem with the form to submit comments as it did not create an account for me either as I requested. I've sent a report to the tech address on this so hopefully it will be fixed.

unbelievable .. the young republicans are and will always be a big group of war monger wussies

Starting at about 11:30am, a group of 60 or so students from Georgetown undertook an unpermitted march through the Georgetown neighborhood and shopping district on M St, before heading towards GWU on Penn Ave. and ultimately arriving at the White House at around noon. We had only one encounter between a legal observer and a police officer, but because we kept moving, we were allowed to remain on the street. We chanted some of our favorites, including "ExxonMobil, BP, Shell/ Take your war/ and go to Hell."

[The picture isn't mine, so I don't have the right to let others use it for profit, etc.]

As hard as it is to say and for most to hear. We can not just leave. I am in the active duty military and understand why we are doing what we are. Unfortunately, this war will be around for a long long time.

I love that- 'War is not the answer'. You 'peaceful' (pacifists) types have no clue what you're protesting. None. I work for Lockheed Martin and I am proud to produce the best military equipment in the world. You can say you are a patriot, but I can prove it. Just be glad you live in the U.S. where you CAN protest. That freedom was won through war. Losers.

Wow, it is the pot calling the kettle black! All of you idiots don't know much of anything, you pro-war shitheads and the liberal pacifists! You claim you can prove you are a patriot but how exactly can you prove that. Are you actively fighting against the US Government which was set up illegally on Native American land or are you being a jingoistic asshole to that US Government! Oh and I don't need your shitty freedom, I can win it myself without the use of your stupid shitty weapons and your stupid shitty wars. You can take both and shove them up your patriotic Lockheed Martin ass and you can be so proud of killing not only innocent civilians but US soldiers as well (but I guess you are so patriotic you can over look those deaths!)

Damn, i wish i was there, i love the support our troops, end the war, and impeach bush. hells yeah!
i maybe only 15, but i'd get arrested for that!

That's a hallmark of capitalism, use brute force to keep the population down.