Thousands rally against U.S.

Thousands rally against U.S.

Thousands of people from various Muslim organizations attend an
anti U.S.-rally at Bundaran Gladag in Surakarta, Central Java.

During the rally on Saturday, some of the protesters unfurled
various anti-U.S. banners, while others bandied about an effigy
of U.S. President George W. Bush, which they eventually burned.

Meanwhile, in Surabaya, hundreds of people staged a noisy
demonstration in front of the U.S. consulate in the city on
Saturday, in protest of any U.S. aggression in Iraq as well as
speculation, by certain countries, that Indonesia was harboring
terrorists.

Some 20 students from the East Java National Student Forum
arrived at the consulate general to denounce what they consider
to be an imminent war in Iraq.

Later on, they were joined by hundreds of fellow demonstrators
from the Indonesian Muslim Solidarity Front, who were angry that
people from other countries had stated that some Muslim
terrorists were hiding or operating in Indonesia.

The protesters found that they were unable to meet with any
consulate officials due to the fact that the office was closed on
weekends.

Seemingly undeterred, they delivered speeches and held up
their anti-U.S. banners before marching to the governor's office.
-- Antara