News reports have confirmed cautious organizer estimates that I heard from the day, which centered around seven to eight thousand. This was the largest anti-war demonstration in Chicago since March 2003, and the first of the four protests on or around the date of the invasion (3/20/03, 3/19/04, 3/19/05, 3/18/06) that ended without a single arrest.

While many continued to feel disenchanted by the purposefully intimidating presence and control of the police, it was more grassroots-oriented and visibly present throughout the city that any had been previously. To add to the three dozen Lincoln Park feeder marchers and 350 Humboldt Park feeder marchers, I also heard that fifty to sixty were in the feeder that began at the Zocalo Urbano in Pilsen.

Finally, we managed to improve on previous years in strength, solidarity, and organizing! Now, let's see if we can remember that there is still a brutal war and occupation being imposed on other countries for the next year, and bring the resistance to every facet of our lives!