Despite driving rain over 15,000 youth took to the streets on Friday 21 March, in Sao Paulo, to protest against the start of the war against Iraq. Thousands more have taken to the streets in other cities throughout Brazil – including Rio do Janiero. Protests were also reported in the states of Minas Gerais and Bahia.

Thousands take to the streets of Sao Paulo

In Sao Paulo the demonstration was overwhelmingly made up of secondary school students. Che Guevara T-shirts were worn by some youth. The march made its way through the main finance centre – Avenida Paulista – where the traffic was brought to a standstill.

The gigantic towers of HSBC, Banco do Brazil, Boston Bank, Itauè and others were the victims of anti-Bush chants. The demonstration briefly stopped outside a Mac Donalds joint, which was loudly booed and jeered. One youth wore a T-shirt in the design of Mac Donalds emblem but reading ’Mac Cancer’.

The loud demonstration then passed on to the US consulate and was addressed by speakers from various parties, including Tony Saunois from the CWI. As the protesters chanted against the war, windows of the consular building opened and clerical workers appeared and clapped the demonstrators and waved white pieces of paper simply saying ’Peace’.

In Argentina tens of thousands took to the streets of Buenos Aires to protest against the war. The demonstrators fought bitter battles with riot police as they attempted to throw rocks and stones at the US embassy.

Liked this article? We need your support to improve our work. Please become a Patron! and support our work