A wide coalition of peace, religious, student, and other organizations are planning what may be the largest anti-war protest to be held in Minnesota for some years.

The march and rally will be held in St. Paul on Saturday, October 26. The event starts at 3:30 pm on the steps of the St. Paul Cathedral, John Ireland and Summit Ave. in St. Paul. At 4:00 pm there will be a march to the State Capitol building for a rally.

The October 26th protest is being organized under the call of "Stop U.S. War on Iraq."

The St. Paul protest is being held in conjunction with an internationally coordinated day of anti-war protests which will see events in Washington DC and San Francisco as well as in many cities around the world.

The St. Paul protest has been organized by Minnesotans Against War on Iraq, a coalition that includes many organizations.

A small sample of the over 80 organizations that have endorsed the protest are, Anti-War Committee, Communities United Against Police Brutality, Grandmothers for Peace, Green Party of MN, Iraq Peace Action Coalition, Minnehaha United Church of Christ, Minnesota Alliance of Peacemakers, North Country Coop, People of Faith Peacemakers, St. Joan of Arc Church Peace Committee, Sisters of St. Joseph/Justice Commission, Somali Justice Advocacy Center, Students Against War (U of M), Student Coalition for Social Justice (St. Thomas College), Students for Peace (Hamline University), Twin Cities Campaign to Lift Sanctions, Veterans for Peace, Women Against Military Madness and many many others.

Speakers at the rally will include Jack
Nelson-Pallmeyer, Professor of Justice and Peace
Studies at the University of St. Thomas.

Also speaking will be include Phyllis Walker,
President of AFSCME Local 3800, a union that
represents workers at the University of Minnesota. The
AFSCME local has passed anti-war resolutions.

In addition to the protest in St. Paul, anti-war events will be held on Saturday in other Minnesota cities such as St. Cloud, Brainerd and Duluth.

A statement issued by organizers says in part, "The growing danger of a new war against Iraq is being met with a growing anti-war movement. The October 26 protests are a chance for all who are against this war to speak out."