Today Baltimore activists and community organizers rallied and marched in opposition of the 2nd year Anniverary of the U.S. invasion and occupation of Iraq. Although the focus was Iraq many other issues were being represented and stated from Health care to education.

At around 12pm the rally at St.Peter Claver Church on Fremont Ave. began, The church was mostly full and was host to several speakers from poets, community organizers, students, labor organizers and activists of every kind. Within 2 hours people were eager to hit the streets and begin the march to the Military Recruitment center in the Mount Claire Shopping center. People flowed out of the church under songs and chants and massed in the square across the street from the Church. Banners, puppets and wonderfully balanced street performers on stilts filled the square.

WIthin minutes the mass began to move, but not without stopping for a second to fuel up on delicious bits of food that the gracious people of food not bombs were providing for all those who ventured by. By 2:00 the march was massing down Carey Avenue towards the recruitment center. Obvious and visible at every intersection was an unmarcked Police vehicle, and every block over was the Baltimore PD. The 300 or so people massing down Carey Avenue seemed to be positive for the community and the street. Many of the people living on the street came out to show support for the March, which was fitting for the March was representing and supporting them. After many blocks and much encouragement from the people living in that community the mass arrived at the Recruiting center.

The demonstration was a show to those in the community and the recruitment center that it is entirely inhumain to exploit the neighborhood and all those for their military imperialistic desires. Many of the marchers voiced their anger and sadness at how the recruitment center was snatching the sons and daughters of that community to fight in the unjust war. A short street performance was held with performers on stilts acting out in a satirical manner the desires of the recruitment center and its economic corporate sponsers.

After the meet at the center the mass moved down Pratt street toward Baltimores Inner Harbor, the hub of the corporate and tourist dstrict of Baltimore. On the many blocks down the road Police presense was growing but the mass remainbed organized and still spirited with chants even though Police cars were taking photos of marchers and intimidating them by trying to squeeze the march with their cars. Police presence was almost beneficial for the marchers, it did not intimidate only inspired and marches respectivly thanked the police presence for participating in their cause. By the time the march entered the harbor, it was met with a crowd of tourists and police. The marchers were denied access to the Harbor and were ushered to a square across the street. By this time the mass was losing organization and shouting matches and arguments sprang up between police and marchers, and tourists and marchers. A few tourists were fully opposed to the marchers and physical violence almost occured, but was cooled quickly.Around 3:30 the march and rally was over.

Overall the the days events were inspiring and a great show for the community it marched in. The show of support from people within that community, was the most powerful part of the day. Those are the people who are affected first and hardest by the policies of those in power and to see their support really shows that the actions and events taken by local activists is really beneficial and worth while.