Thousands of Chicagoans turned out on March 19 for a rally and march to mark — and oppose — five years of war and Iraq. The action, convened by a broad coalition of local groups, didn't quite wind down as local cops had hoped — instead, members of the radical feeder march kept the protest rolling into the night.

Activists set aside March 20 for a day of direct action and guerilla theater, with more than a dozen actions throughout the city. Locals kicked the day off with an early morning action at the Millenium Flame off the Kennedy Expressway to honor the memory of Malachi Ritscher, who burned himself to death in late 2006 in the tradition of Buddist monks a generation earlier to oppose the war.

Columbia students brought the reality of waterboarding home with street theater. Peace activists staged a lockdown at the office of congressman Rahm Emanuel, one of Congress's biggest boosters of war and occupation. The question of the day at this action? How many cops does it take to unchain a congressman's office.

Other actions included a penny poll — and sit-in — at the Federal Plaza, a banner drop and protest at the local headquarters for Boeing, a protest against a Raytheon-affiliated research lab at UIC, and a protest at a local recruiting center.

More Photos: [ 1 | 2 ] Labor Beat/CIMC joint video coverage: [ Part 1 | Part 2 ] | Audio from M19 rally in Federal Plaza | One of many banner drops