A Rainbow of Protest Groups March Against the G20

The largest protest of G20 Summit began in Oakland early this afternoon and traveled through downtown to the north shore. Contingencies representing a spectrum of issues were on hand to make their case. A number of groups started off in different parts of Oakland and joined up with the main march at the intersection of Craft and Fifth Avenue. Aaron Hughes, with Iraq Veterans Against the War called on leaders to pull out of Iraq and give Veterans fair treatment. He says he felt as though his humanity was taken from him when he was fighting for the U.S. in Iraq. Calvin Clinton Sr. stood holding a banner for the African American Workers Union--he says it is appropriate the G20 meeting take place in Pittsburgh because he believed the city was a microcosm of the world. He says inequality is present here between races just as it is between rich nations and poor nations. Bebe heads a group of hula-hooping anarchists--she says they aren't here to be violent, but they do want the G20 out of Pittsburgh now. The protesters were peaceful and stayed on course. Law enforcement was scattered along the route watching as the demonstrators, sang, chanted and waved banners as they marched, alerting the public, the media and the G20 leaders to their causes.