By Gargoyle news staff


Posted Friday, Jan. 26, 2007, The OG, news

A LOCAL PROTEST co-organized by Uni student Shara Esbenshade will be held Saturday afternoon in downtown Champaign to coincide with a national March on Washington against the war in Iraq.

The demonstration will take place from 2 to 4 p.m. at One Main, at the corner of Neil and Main streets. Participants will express their opposition to President George W. Bush's “surge” policy — the deployment of 21,000 more U.S. troops to Iraq — and call for the withdrawal of the 130,000 troops already there.

The Champaign event was scheduled to parallel the United for Peace and Justice anti-war March on Washington, also scheduled for Saturday. That event will include a rally on the National Mall and such speakers as Susan Sarandon, Tim Robbins, Danny Glover, and the Rev. Jesse Jackson.

The local protest is organized by AWARE, the Anti-War Anti-Racism Effort, a community organization working for peace and racial justice. AWARE holds similar demonstrations on the first Saturday of every month from 2 to 4 p.m. at the same place.

“We wanted to plan a local protest for the many people who want to be at the march in Washington but can't afford to go or cannot give up an entire weekend,” said Esbenshade, a junior. “We'd like to bring attention to the fact that the majority of America opposes this war, yet the administration continues to deploy more troops.”

Advisory referenda to withdraw from Iraq passed in both the Champaign and
Urbana townships during the Nov. 7 elections. A large turnout is expected this Saturday, Esbenshade said, especially of high school students.

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