San Francisco - Anti-war protesters, some of them dressed up like President George W Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney clashed with police wearing full riot gear in San Francisco on Wednesday, marking the fifth anniversary of the start of the Iraq war. Police said 143 people were arrested.
One scuffle took place after about two dozen demonstrators staged a "die-in," lying down and blocking traffic on a main city street. They were surrounded by 80 police officers in riot gear, but more protestors joined the fray as scuffles developed. No injuries were reported in the protests.
As protesters were arrested, more demonstrators from the scores who were watching from the sidewalk rushed to fill their places.
Among those taken away were 20 people, calling themselves Act Against Torture, who were wearing orange jumpsuits with black hoods over their heads.
Also arrested was Daniel Ellsberg, a former military analyst who became a left-wing icon when he released the so-called Pentagon Papers, discrediting the US government during the Vietnam War.
"The symbolism of people lying in death appears to symbolize the life and death seriousness as we enter the sixth year of this crime against the American people," he said, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.
"We are here to get arrested," Leslie Mullin, 63, said. "The people have to step into this war because none of the government officials want to do it for us. We have gone all over town and people are saying, 'Good for you.'"
