Diverse Justice Groups Demonstrate Against Bush Rochester Visit

A Wide array of Activist Groups participated in actions in the Rochester area Tuesday to take the Bush administration to task for its attacks on human rights.

About 150 demonstrators shared the sidewalk with some 1000 gawkers across the street from Greece Athena High School on Long Pond Road Tuesday Morning. The Anti-Bush forces consisted primarily of Antiwar and Disability Rights activists.

Chants taken up by the crowd addressed medicaid cuts, the illegality of the Iraq war, and the threats to the constitution. Two activists were arrested when they laid down in the middle of Long Pond road in an act of civil disobedience.

The Antiwar demonstration was called by Rochester Against War (RAW) over the weekend to respond to Bush's Tuesday visit to the suburban high School. The Disability Rights forces were organized by the Rochester Chapter of Adapt.

Lively exchanges took place between activists and Bush Supporters.
Many parents brought their children for a chance to see the the presidential motorcade drive by. One could see and hear the children asking their parents about why people were so angry with Bush. The event provided an opportunity for these kids to interact in some small way with oppositional forces.

In the early Afternoon, Metro Justice held a rally in which nearly 1000 activists, organizers and community members converged in downtown Rochester to take Bush to task for his plans to overhaul Social Security.