Hundreds of people, including labor leaders, students, religious leaders and people on the street, gathered in Union Square at midday, some holding up anti-war signs, others writing slogans in colored chalk on the sidewalk.

Under a banner that read "Only people can stop the war, only love can conquer hate," Mary Lou Greenberg, an organizer with the anti-war group Not In Our Name, told the crowd: "Wars that begin by government can be ended by people -- by people saying 'No.'"

Christina Pitre, a 10th-grader from Washington Irving High School, quit classes with her classmates to attend the rally. "War is a terrible tragedy and many people have lost their lives. Children lost their fathers. We don't want this to happen again," she said.

Holding a poster that read "Regime change starts from home," Anthan Wardrit-fruin and his friend criticized the Bush administration for violating the US constitution by rushing to war with Iraq. "I'm worried that the United States has established a dangerous precedent by attacking a sovereign country unprovoked, and that makes the people of the United States very unsecured," he said.

Numerous signs bopped up and down among the crowd: "Bombs Bring Democracy?" "How many lives per gallon?" "I love my country that is why I protest." "Out of a Clash of Arms" and "Let Iraq Live."

Today was the third day of anti-war protests in Union Square. Organizers said they are planning a march to Times Square later in the day. Organizers said they would stage demonstrations in Union Square every day.

A much larger anti-war march through Manhattan is scheduled for Saturday. The group that organized the major rally outside the United Nations last month has received a permit for a procession in downtown Manhattan.

Also on Thursday, the September 11th Families for Peaceful Tomorrows issued a statement, condemning "the illegal, immoral, and unjustified US-led military action in Iraq."

"This war will not make America safer. On the contrary, it has already resulted in heightened anti-American sentiment around the world, and is likely to promote further terrorist attacks ... It will not protect American families from another September 11th," the statement said.

(Xinhua News Agency March 21, 2003)