Sep 25, 2007 7:49 pm US/Eastern
Anti-War Protesters Arrested At U.N. Rally
NEW YORK (CBS) ―
A day after thousands flocked to the United Nations headquarters in Manhattan to protest Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's visit to the city, demonstrators were back in action Tuesday, voicing their anger with President Bush and the war in Iraq.
Mr. Bush addressed the General Assembly this morning, and shortly after his motorcade arrived about 8 a.m., anti-war protesters were out in full force.
RAW VIDEO: Ahmadinejad Speaks At Columbia
"Our message today is that Bush does not speak for us. We are against the war in Iraq, the occupation of Iraq and the future potential attacks against other sovereign nations," Michael Shenker, one of the demonstrators, told CBS 2.
Some passionate demonstrators marched along the streets brandishing coffins as a symbol of the deaths of soldiers in the war, while others wore orange jumpsuits in solidarity with the Guantanamo detainees held on suspicious of terrorism.
One activist compared Mr. Bush to Ahmadinejad.
"Bush has nuclear weapons, therefore he's much more dangerous than Ahmadinejad," said Debra Sweet.
The arrested protesters were taken into custody by police after kneeling on the sidewalk in an act of civil disobedience.
Mr. Bush mentioned Iran in his speech to the General Assembly - but only briefly, citing Iran in a list of countries where people lack freedoms and live in fear. The White House wants to avoid giving any more attention to Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, whose splash of speeches and interviews has dominated the days leading to the U.N. meeting.
Instead of Iran, the Southeast Asian nation of Myanmar, also known as Burma, drew Mr. Bush's ire. He announced new visa restrictions and financial sanctions against the regime and those who provide it financial aid.
The policies come as Myanmar's military government issued a threat Monday to the barefoot Buddhist monks who led 100,000 people marching through a major city. It was the strongest protest against the repressive regime in two decades.
As for Ahmadinejad he is not finished yet and neither are his protesters. He addresses the General Assembly later this afternoon.
Meanwhile, there have been major traffic changes while the UN is in session.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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