From the archives: Across LI, hundreds rally in protest

This story was originally published in Newsday on March 21, 2003.

At 11:30 a.m. yesterday, as American tanks rolled across the southern Iraqi border and warplanes dropped bombs on Baghdad, hundreds of Huntington High School students left their sixth-period classes in response.

While some headed for the auditorium for a quiet discussion led by educators, most went outside to the school's main entrance to chant, wave American flags and hold banners.

But the students were hardly of one mind: Perhaps two-thirds of the about 150 outside chanted "U.S.A! U.S.A.!" in support of the Bush administration. The rest sang John Lennon's "Give Peace a Chance" and called for diplomacy.

The campus reflected the wide range of feelings - ideological, political, tactical - of Long Islanders on the day after bombing began overseas. Throughout the Island, most of the organized response to the conflict seemed to be anti-war.

"War is not the answer," said Marisol Maddox, 16, a sophomore at Huntington, speaking by cell phone during the campus protest. "I'm incredibly patriotic, and I'm acting on the freedom that our nation gives us to speak out against the fighting."

The teenagers were not alone. In Garden City, about 65 protesters, mostly senior citizens, stood at Old Country and Glen Cove roads holding placards: "No Blood for Oil" and "Bombs Will Not Bring Justice."

Frank Phillips, 89, a World War II veteran from New Hyde Park, questioned President Bush's stated mission to depose Iraqi President Saddam Hussein. "Who do we go after next?" he asked.

Another protester, David Reid, 70, of Hempstead, stood at the curb supported by a walker because, he said, "I'm angry ... I can't stand the thought of thousands of Iraqis being killed."

A few miles away at Hofstra University, protesters organized by Students Against Injustice banged drums for peace throughout the campus. More than 100 eventually joined the nearly two-hour march.

"Business cannot go on as usual when people are dying," said Hallie Caplan, 19, a sophomore from Rockville, Md., and an organizer.

Protesters eventually entered the pedestrian walkway over Hempstead Turnpike, erecting a cardboard "No War" sign on the window and nearly blocking passersby. Soon, a shoving match broke out between protesters and Ric Boccio, 23, a senior from Lindenhurst. As university public safety officers hustled him away, he yelled an expletive and called the peace group "hippies." A few minutes later, he returned. "Without war they don't have their basic freedoms," he fumed.

Yesterday's activities come as anti-war protesters gear up for large events planned this weekend including rallies tomorrow in Manhattan and Washington, D.C. In Huntington tomorrow, the American Legion and the Town of Huntington will host a rally to support U.S. military overseas. Organizers stressed the event is not a pro-war rally, but will focus on supporting troops.

Staff writers Alphonso A. Castillo, Indrani Sen and Olivia Winslow contributed to this story.