WASHINGTON (voa) – Up to 75,000 people gathered in Washington Saturday to demonstrate on a range of issues, including corporate globalization and U.S. support of Israel.
At a pro-Palestinian rally near the White House, protesters condemned Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and demanded the United States force Israel to withdraw from Palestinian territories. One chant compared the Israeli prime minister to Adolph Hitler.
Outside the meetings of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, protesters called on rich nations to cancel the debt owed by poorer ones. The protesters said the financial institutions put profits over people, and carried a 10-meter high balloon of the Earth with the words “For Sale” written on it.
Late in the day, all protesters joined ranks for a march to the U.S. Capitol. Police say the demonstrations were peaceful, and there were no arrests.
The crowd estimate comes from Washington’s police chief, who revised an earlier estimate upward.
More demonstrations are planned in Washington Sunday and Monday.
Police mobilized across the city for the multiple rallies, closing off streets and standing ready in case scuffles break out. Thursday and Friday, workers removed all mailboxes, trash cans and newspaper vending machines from city streets so protesters would have nothing to throw.
At demonstrations outside the World Bank and IMF meetings two years ago, clashes between police and protesters ended in hundreds of arrests.
