Large crowds are set to gather in New York next week as the Republican National Convention opens to formally nominate President George W. Bush for re-election against Senator John Kerry. Organizers anticipate upward of 100,000 people at a Sunday march led by United For Peace and Justice, with demonstrators citing Iraq, the environment, human rights, and what many describe as the political exploitation of the September 11 attacks.
The protest coalition is broad. Anti-war sentiment is the common thread, though participants plan to press separate causes including gay rights and economic policy. The organizers noted they also demonstrated at last month's Democratic convention in Boston, pushing Kerry to take a harder anti-war stance.
A permit dispute has complicated planning. Mayor Michael Bloomberg, a Republican, denied permission for the main rally in Central Park, citing the welfare of nearby residents, and the group responded with a lawsuit. Bloomberg also offered visiting protesters discounts at city restaurants and hotels.
Several other groups plan non-violent civil disobedience on Monday, targeting large firms in Manhattan. Republican National Committee chairman Ed Gillespie warned that any violence would reflect poorly on Democrats.
Historical summary. TurkishPress restated this AFP wire report, first published in August 2004, in its own words.