Protesters rally against Bush

Roughly 300 men and women, young and old alike, gathered outside the Kentucky International Convention Center last Friday to protest President George W. Bush’s visit in support of Third District Rep. Anne Northup. Protesters held signs, including (above–U of L student Mateo Bernal and his brother Tomas) “Regime change begins at home: Vote” and “I will not sacrifice for greed and warmongers.” Protesters were met with resistance from both Louisville Police Department officers and right-wingers, including members of the Future Farmers Association, who slurred, “Take a bath, hippies,” along with hurling obscenities at the crowd of nonviolent dissenters. The protest drowned out Bush’s speech inside, which was quite similar to many of his recent campaign-trail addresses. Bush outlined his plan for the war on Iraq and energized the audience of about 3,000 flag-wavers, mostly Republican, by promising that “justice” will be brought to terrorists and that “peace will be achieved.”