Salt Lake City, UT – Students, military veterans and anti-war activists rallied here March 19 for the National Day of Action Against War.

March 19 now marks two significant events: the eighth anniversary of the invasion of Iraq and day one of the U.S.-led bombing and intervention into Libya.

More than 50 people turned out to declare their opposition to ongoing U.S. wars. Local activists spoke out against the U.S. war and occupations in Afghanistan and Iraq, especially the violence perpetrated by the U.S. against women. Kristen Lambert said in her speech, “No more will the rape of women in occupied countries by U.S. military and government officials be ignored.”

Another speaker talked about the repression of the anti-war movement here at home. In September, 2010 the FBI raided seven homes in Chicago and Minneapolis and now 23 anti-war and international solidarity activists have been called before U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald’s Grand Jury in Chicago.

The rally was capped off by a speech given by Aaron Davis, a member of Veterans for Peace, who called for an end to Wall Street investors’ wars that are financed on the backs of working-class people.

This rally marks the return of the anti-war movement in Utah. Several groups plan on organizing future events in light of the U.S. attacks on Libya and in response to the ongoing atrocities committed in Afghanistan, Iraq, Yemen and Pakistan. Brett Barrett, the head of the Revolutionary Student Union's anti-war committee said, “We are making plans for a campaign against military recruitment on campus to deter college students from enlisting in the U.S. empire’s wars. The Revolutionary Student Union will lead Utah's charge against these bloody wars!”

#SaltLakeCityUT #AntiwarMovement #Afghanistan #Iraq #IraqWar #VeteransForPeace #Utah #RevolutionaryStudentUnion #AfghanistanWar #Libya #LibyaWar