About 750 people [local papers estimated over 1,000-ks] rallied against the U.S. war and occupation of Iraq in Salt Lake City, one of eleven regional centers for a nationwide demonstration coordinated by United for Peace and Justice (UFPJ). Almost one fifth of the protesters came from Boise, Hailey, and Idaho Falls, Idaho with several from Colorado, Wyoming and Nevada.

Northern Ute Tribe member Lacee Harris blessed the gathering and demonstrators heard from Iraq war veteran Chris Conway and high school junior Breanne Gratton of the Idaho Peace Coalition at the Utah State Capitol building before a loud and lively march down Salt Lake City's State Street to the rally at City Hall. Larry Chadwick, a founder of Salt Lake City's original Vietnam Veterans Against the War chapter, George Muller of Veterans for Peace, Iraq Veteran Against the War Jeff Key, and an Iraq War soldier's mother Carla Hitz of Military Families Speak Out led off the rally with passionate and powerful affirmations that their patriotism was starkly opposed to the unconstitutional aggressive war policies of the Bush administration.

Young activist Isaac Giron of the Brown Berets and the Wasatch Coalition for Peace and Justice introduced Theresa Martinez, sociology professor and University of Utah administrator, who explained how war hurts the region's growing Latino minority. Julie Holzer of the Steelworkers Union, Jobs with Justice and U.S. Labor Against the War made the complementary point that this war harms all working people. Giron, who is a member of its steering committee, applauded UFPJ's nationwide work in building the antiwar movement.

Ashley Bledsoe, a student leader of the protests at Brigham Young University against commencement speaker Dick Cheney last spring, spoke for Mormons for Equality and Social Justice. Representing a relatively liberal island in a region that still gives Bush majority support, Salt Lake City Mayor Rocky Anderson made his concluding speech an indictment of news media dereliction, public apathy and presidential malfeasance.

We the People for Peace and Justice, the umbrella coalition which organized Salt Lake's October 27 demonstration, and the Circle Dynamics Peacekeepers got widespread praise for a smoothly-flowing and enjoyable event. Good weather and the music provided by Slickrock Stranger, Ask the Dust, Zion Tribe and members of Blue Haiku contributed to the upbeat atmosphere.

-Dayne Goodwin