Canadians fight police, topple Bush statue. Bush claims mandate

OTTAWA - As many as 5,000 protesters thronged the streets around Parliament Hill Tuesday, hundreds of them briefly scuffling with police as they demonstrated against visiting U.S. President George W. Bush.



Police officers in riot gear pushed back a thick crowd of anti-war activists, some of whom were shouting at the security forces and trying to jostle them with the sticks of their placards.

At least three protesters were pushed down onto the ground and arrested as CBC Newsworld television cameras recorded the action.

Some police in riot gear could be seen pulling on gas masks, suggesting that they were ready to release gas to control the crowd.

Colleagues dragged away one police officer who seemed to have been injured in the melée.

"One college student who was skipping class for the day to attend the protest told me, 'When they started pointing the tear gas guns, we decided we should go,'" said CBC News Online journalist Paddy Moore, who was on the scene writing a rolling account of events for CBC.ca.

Moore said the demonstrators seemed to be trying to advance in the direction of either the U.S. Embassy on Sussex Drive, Parliament Hill or the bridge leading to Gatineau, Que.

The latter destination is where 700 invited guests will attend a formal dinner in Bush's honour Tuesday night, at the Museum of Civilization.

The crowd had mostly dispersed by 4 p.m., with the exception of a few protesters still engaged in a faceoff with police, Moore said.

Earlier demonstrations relatively peaceful

Earlier in the day, as Bush arrived on Parliament Hill to greet Martin and sign the government guest book, U.S. Secret Service agents and RCMP officers equipped with rifles and video cameras kept watch over a peaceful crowd of about 200 as they shouted "Go Home" and other slogans.

A small number of pro-Bush demonstrators also showed up to offer a welcome to the conservative, family-values politician.

One of them held a sign reading: "The only mad cow is Carolyn Parrish," referring to the Liberal MP recently thrown out of caucus after repeated verbal attacks against the Americans and Bush.
Another scene from the Ottawa protest. (CP Photo)

But by far the larger number of demonstrators were no fans of the American president or the war in Iraq that his administration launched a year and a half ago.

There were reports that a large papier mâché statue of Bush would be toppled during the protest, a reference to the role he played in invading Iraq and toppling leader Saddam Hussein in the spring of 2003.

* FROM NOV. 29, 2004: Protests planned for Bush visit to Ottawa, Halifax

The Ottawa rally was one of about 25 planned across the country to draw attention to Bush's policies and politics during the visit.

Many of the Ottawa protesters were opposed to Bush's plans for a North American missile shield system that would require Canadian participation.

Also present were activists in favour of legalized marijuana, same-sex marriages, and a woman's right to choose, as well as students, grandmothers and groups ranging from Lawyers Against the War to Bellydancers Against Bush.

Another major protest is planned for Wednesday morning in Halifax, where demonstrators will picket near Bush's speech at the Pier 21 immigration museum on the city's waterfront.
-------------
November 30, 2004

A sole early morning protester, Frederic White of Hull, carries a placard protesting the arrival of U.S. President George W. Bush outside parliament in Ottawa on Tuesday. (CP/J.P. Moczulski)
ADVERTISEMENT
Click here to find out more!

OTTAWA -- Protesters clashed with riot police Tuesday afternoon as a crowd tried to move across a bridge to go to the next venue to demonstrate against the visit of U.S. President George Bush.

Scuffles broke out as dozens of police in riot gear and gas masks used shields to hold back activists. The clash occurred outside the upscale Chateau Laurier Hotel, where some of the Bush entourage were staying. Protesters were knocked to the ground and at least one person was arrested and led away.

Some protesters threw placards, sticks, pumpkins and water bottles at police. One tactical officer was covered in red paint.

The clashes marred a day of otherwise peaceful protests.

Organizers had encouraged protesters to head to the government conference centre from Parliament Hill, under the mistaken impression that Bush was there.

When police moved in on the crowd, protest leaders tried to talk the more aggressive factions into moving back, but some stood their ground.

Minutes earlier, demonstrators had torn apart a papier mache effigy of the U.S. president as 5,000 people gathered for anti-Bush protests on Parliament Hill.

The toppling of the five-metre figure, echoing a familiar image from the Iraq War when a statue of Saddam Hussein was brought down, followed a mock eulogy at which people shouted ''Bush go home'' and ''We don't want war.''

A dinner with Bush was scheduled at the museum in the evening.

Earlier in the day, protesters were noisy but peaceful.

''He's a warmonger - I think he should get out of Iraq,'' said Jeanette Pole, a local member of the Raging Grannies, a protest group known for its uniforms of gingham dresses and offbeat hats.

Heidi Petersen brought her two young children in a stroller to the protest, which began in a park about 10 minutes from Parliament Hill, to teach them the importance of free speech.

''I brought my kids because I want my kids to learn what this freedom is that were exercising today,'' she said, as Felipe, 5, and Capitu, 2, watched the crowd.

A group of young women from Montreal, calling themselves the Radical Cheerleaders, shook homemade pom-poms and chanted: ''He wants to start a new arms race, putting his weapons in outer space.''

A young man covered entirely in masking tape and calling himself the Mummy of Montreal stagger-stepped through the throng. Music by Bob Marley and Neil Young blared from loudspeakers as people openly smoked marijuana.

Some held signs denigrating the American president, including one that said: A village in Texas has lost its idiot.

The crowd roared when Michael Mandel, who came in from Toronto representing Lawyers Against the War, referred to the estimated 100,000 Iraqis who have died in the war in that country.

''This isn't a president,'' he said. ''This is a homicidal maniac.''

Those assembled saved some of their rage for police officers who were videotaping demonstrators.

A brief struggle ensued when about 10 police officers tried to stop a protest truck from moving along Laurier Avenue as the march began toward Parliament Hill. Police withdrew and allowed the truck to continue.

Uniformed officers lined up on bicycles, although police in riot gear were in buses behind Parliament Hill and ready to move in if things got out of hand.

A candlelight vigil was scheduled on Parliament Hill with speeches by some politicians.

A tiny group of Bush supporters who tried to cheer the president as his limousine passed on its way to Parliament in the morning was drowned out by the shouts of activists telling Bush to ''Go home.''

The Toronto Coalition to Stop the War was to roll out a so-called ''unwelcome mat'' for Bush - a giant carpet-turned-protest-sign.

Organizer Dylan Penner said the protesters oppose what they consider Canada's complicity in the U.S. president's policies.

''Over 100,000 people have been killed so far by the invasion and occupation of Iraq and we're going to Ottawa to say that war criminals like Bush aren't welcome here,'' Penner said.

Alex House, 17, skipped school to ride a protest buses to Ottawa.

''I think (Bush) has committed a lot of atrocities and I think he has to know that a big chunk of the Canadian people don't appreciate him being here and that we don't respect or condone the things he's done,'' House said. continued http://www.canada.com/national/story.html?id=7a55a82f-6417-4f73-8397-e74053c4fb45