Downtown peace march meets opposition

An anti-war demonstration Saturday at the Sault Ste. Marie Court House attracted a counter-demonstration by pro-war activists.

About 70 demonstrators came out to march today for peace, marking the one-year anniversary of the war on Iraq.

Eight to ten people took the opposite position.

Speakers on behalf of the anti-war protesters included former Sault MPP Tony Martin, Sean Meades and Cecilia Fernandez.

"We're still saying no to war," said Meades. "They say that they're rebuilding Iraq but they are just making sure that their interests are protected."

"If we actually felt security would we really need to be [in Iraq] anymore," said Fernandez.

"We join forces with millions of people," added Martin. "What's happened in the year since the attack. Have we stopped terrorism?"

Joe Chiverelli was a member of the pro-war group.

"I love my country. I love my sister country and I believe that Bush has done a great job," he said.

Both sides marched down Queen street past honking cars and turned left on Dennis where they all gathered beside the bus terminal.

There, the anti-war protesters demonstrated by singing, drumming and dancing in the street.

They had rented the Odd Fellows Temple to keep warm and to distribute free fair-trade coffee.

The last three photos in the following gallery show the pro-war activists.