Anti-War Protests Continue

Demonstrators Rally Outside Justice Department

(AP)  Several hundred demonstrators, mostly college students, rallied Sunday outside the Justice Department to protest the possible war with Iraq and "racist witch hunts" by U.S. authorities following the Sept. 11 attacks.

The protesters, continuing a weekend of protest after nationwide rallies and marches Saturday, including one that drew more than 20,000 people in Portland, shouted their anger and waved a U.S. flag with a peace symbol instead of stars in the field of blue. They then headed on a mile march to the White House.

Organizers told protesters who wanted to get arrested to mass at the front, setting a more confrontational tone than was seen at the Saturday demonstration, when only a few people were taken into custody.

"Bush is asking for a weapons inspection everywhere else and it's only fair that his place is inspected too," said Jodi Hiland, 32, of Minneapolis.

Police cleared the way for the march, with several vehicles at the front of the procession.

The demonstrators, stationed between the Justice and FBI buildings, expressed outrage over what they see as overreaching law enforcement tactics since Sept. 11, 2001.

"This is the center of all the racist attacks on people of color that have been happening for so long," said Peta Lindsay, an 18-year-old freshman at Howard University.

Shouting from a megaphone, Lindsay told the crowd that the FBI and Immigration and Naturalization Service are going to universities and demanding files on certain students.

"We will defend ourselves and our brothers from these racist witch hunts," Lindsay said.