Antiwar march in Washington, D.C., January 18, 2003.
Founded just three days after the September 11, 2001 attacks, ANSWER (Act Now to Stop War and End Racism) initiated the massive U.S. antiwar movement opposing the U.S. invasion of Iraq in the months prior to March 19, 2003.
The ANSWER Coalition demonstration of 200,000 people on October 26, 2002, in Washington, D.C. ignited a nationwide and global antiwar movement that was nearly unprecedented in history. On January 18, 2003, 500,000 people packed the Mall in Washington, D.C. under the slogan “Stop the War Before It Starts.” The Washington Post described the January 18 demonstration as the largest antiwar protest since the end of the Vietnam War.
On February 15, 2003, many millions of people, in nearly every country in the world, joined together in the largest coordinated antiwar actions in history.
On April 12, 2003, just 3 days after the U.S. invasion force conquered Baghdad the ANSWER coalition organized a demonstration of 30,000 people in downtown Washington, D.C. under the slogan “Occupation is not Liberation.” This marked the beginning of a new stage of the U.S. antiwar movement which slowly regained its massive character as the resistance movement in Iraq made it clear that the occupation of Iraq would fail.
A distinguishing feature of the organizing principles and work of the answer coalition, in contrast with the traditional U.S. peace movement was its uncompromising support in defense of the rights of the Palestinian people.
In April 2002, the ANSWER Coalition organized what was then the largest demonstrations in solidarity with the Palestinian people in U.S. history, of more than 100,000 people.
ANSWER, which at its core included a partnership between Arab and non-Arab activists, fought a long and successful battle against excluding the Palestinian struggle for self-determination from the anti-war and peace movement. In the years since, we have mobilized across the country to stop the repeated assaults against and massacres of the people of Gaza.
ANSWER has mobilized against the illegal coup and UN occupation of Haiti, against the illegal blockade of Cuba, and the illegal 'regime change' war on Libya.
We fought against the occupation of Afghanistan, the renewed assaults on Iraq and Syria, the drone attacks on Yemen, Pakistan and Somalia, among others.
March Forward!, an affiliate of the ANSWER Coalition, has brought together anti-war veterans and active-duty service members to fight for their rights and oppose U.S. wars of aggression.
ANSWER has played an important role in the fight against racist and religious profiling, in support of immigrant and workers’ rights, and for economic and social justice for all. Our members are engaged in a range of struggles, from the local battles against police brutality to the international campaigns against militarism and war.
ANSWER Chapters are organizing in cities and towns throughout the United States connecting the flight for social justice at home and in opposition to war and occupation abroad.
