Anti-War Rally Planned For Pioneer Square This Saturday

By Rebecca Jacobson

Supporters of more than 50 groups plan to turn out this Saturday, March 19 at Pioneer Courthouse Square to protest the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The date marks the eighth anniversary of the U.S. invasion of Iraq.

Saturday's rally of labor, faith-based, peace and environmental justice organizations will highlight the link between the economic downturn and the ongoing wars in the Middle East, according to Dan Handelman of Peace and Justice Works, one of the event's organizers.

"It's about connecting the problems of the economy with these long-term occupations overseas," Handelman said. "It costs billions of dollars every month for us to maintain troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, which could be going to health care and job creation and other things that would make people's lives better."

Music will begin at 12:30 pm, followed by the rally at 1 pm and a march through downtown at 1:30 pm. For more information, visit the event's Facebook page (visible only to Facebook members).

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