Minneapolis, MN – Anti-war events will be held in over 50 cities across the U.S. on March 19, calling for an end to the U.S. war in Afghanistan, an end to the continued U.S. occupation of Iraq and for a redirection of resources from war to human needs.

In the Twin Cities of Minneapolis-Saint Paul a coalition is planning a march and rally. The protest will assemble at 1:00 p.m. at the Martin Luther King Community Center, 270 N Kent Street in Saint Paul. A march will start at 1:30 and travel down University Avenue, ending at the State Capitol building for a rally at 2:15.

“The U.S. wars and occupations in Afghanistan and Iraq continue to cost billions of dollars, while needed social services, schools, health care and housing are facing huge budget cuts,” a statement issued by Twin Cities organizers says.

The statement goes on to say, “The people of Afghanistan and Iraq want an end to the wars and occupations. People throughout the Middle East are taking to the streets against repressive governments, many supported by U.S. military aid. The wars, occupations and meddling by the U.S. government in the affairs of the people of the Middle East must end.”

The March 19 date was designated a day for nationally coordinated local actions to mark eight years since the start of the U.S. war in Iraq.

“Even as we mark ten years of the war in Afghanistan and eight years of the war in Iraq, the U.S. government is considering yet another military intervention, this time in Libya. U.S. intervention cannot bring peace or democracy. The U.S. meddling must end and the peoples of the Middle East must be allowed to determine their own futures,” the statement concludes.

There will also be anti-war protests March 19 in Boston, Chicago, Madison, Los Angeles, San Francisco and many other cities.

The next step for the anti-war movement after the March 19 local protests will be a two of national anti-war protests set for the weekend of April 9 in New York City and San Francisco.

A feature at many of the March 19 protests will be expressing opposition to the ongoing FBI campaign against anti-war and international solidarity activists. Tom Burke, of the Committee to Stop FBI Repression urges activists to distribute the special flyer they created for the anti-war protests.

The flyer is available at: http://www.stopfbi.net/resources/flyer/flyer-opposing-war-not-crime

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