Milwaukee, WI – On Oct. 8, over 100 people rallied and marched against the continuing U.S./NATO occupation of Afghanistan. The event was organized to commemorate the tenth anniversary of the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan, which began in October of 2001.

The rally was followed by a large march to City Hall, where community members spoke before the crowd inside. Attendees included Milwaukee Alderman Nik Kovac, union workers and community organizations including the L.U.V. Brigade, Milwaukee Students for a Democratic Society (SDS), Peace Action-Wisconsin, Veterans for Peace, U.S. Labor Against the War and others represented by the Milwaukee Coalition for a Just Peace.

Khalil Coleman of the L.U.V. Brigade said of the day's events, “We have to start looking at poverty at home and poverty in foreign countries in a different light. If we can take money that is being used to fund violence in Libya and to oppress people in Afghanistan and bring it back to the communities here in the U.S., we can help to build a better world.”

Danielle Meyer, an organizer for the upcoming Occupy Milwaukee protests, said, “We're out here today because military spending on wars in Iraq and Afghanistan is wasteful and is going to kill innocent people. We want to see funding come back for human needs here in Milwaukee, as well as the rest of the country.” Milwaukee is often listed as the most segregated city in the United States with the fourth highest level of poverty.

Solidarity was also expressed for those anti-war activists persecuted by the FBI. Jhosellin Perez, speaking for the Milwaukee Activist Defense Network, urged those present to visit www.stopfbi.net and sign the Pledge to Resist there, as well as to keep active in opposing government repression of anti-war activists.

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