Washington, March 22, SPA -- Tens of thousands of protestors in Washington and California carried banners and shouted slogans Saturday, calling for an end to the war in Iraq, DPA reported. The protests marked the sixth anniversary of the US invasion ofIraq on March 20, 2003. The ANSWER (Act Now to Stop War and End Racism) Coalition saidmore than 10,000 people marched towards the Pentagon and corporationsin Virginia. "This was a significant protest as it's the first one since(president George W) Bush left office. It was important as we werehoping that (US President Barack) Obama would end the occupation ofIraq," the coalition's national coordinator Brian Becker toldDeutsche Presse-Agentur (DPA). "Bush is gone, but the occupation of Iraq continues, the war inAfghanistan is escalating and the people of Palestine are livingunder a state of siege." The protestors who marched for four and a half hours included Iraqand Afghanistan war veterans, members of local Arab and Muslimcommunities, students and trade unionists. They waved large bannersthat said, "Occupation is a crime," Bring the troops home now," "Weneed jobs and schools, not war," "Fund people's needs not the warmachines." Similar protests in Los Angeles and San Francisco drew 4,000people each, the ANSWER coalition said. Riot police armed with rubber bullets and tear gas canisters wereon alert in all three cities. There were no arrests in Washington,but the demonstrators claimed they were attacked several times in SanFrancisco.--SPA www.spa.gov.sa/646760