At least 20 vigils took place in the Chicago area Wednesday, Aug 17, in solidarity with Cindy Sheehan's 'speaking truth to power' antiwar vigil outside Bush's ranch in Crawford, Texas.

At the events started at 7:30 pm. Many were also moved to join the events to oppose the growing rightwing drumbeats against Sheehan and her small 'peace encampment.' They lasted an hour or two.

In Evanston alone, more than 500 people filled Fountain Square. 'It wasn't the regulars,' said one of the participants. 'It was hundreds and hundreds of new, everyday middle-class people.'

At UIC near Halstead and Harrison, over 150 people from the university community turned out with candles and peace placards, and formed a large circle on the lawn.

There were no speechs, just occaisional singing, and a few people being interviewed by TV reporters about why they were there.

Some activists passed out flyers on how to get bus tickets for the upcoming Sept 24 weekend of antiwar protests in Washington, DC.

The protests were aided by a call from Moveon.org, but were largely a spontaneous, self-organized outcry against the war and all the lies trying to continue it.

[This story is still developing, and I've yet to get reports from the dozens of other sites arounf town and in the burbs. Please add more stuff as comments, along with pix too, if you have them. CarlD, CAWI]