March 17, 2007 anti-war protest

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Marchers cross Memorial Bridge into Virginia en route to The Pentagon.

Students for a Democratic Society members formed in a black bloc during an anti-war demonstration in DC.

The March 17, 2007 anti-war protest was an anti-war demonstration sponsored by the communist organization known as the ANSWER Coalition that marched from Constitution Gardens in Washington, D.C. to The Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia. The date was selected to coincide with the fourth anniversary of the invasion of Iraq, and also the 40th anniversary of a similar anti-war march that occurred on October 21, 1967. Organizers estimated 3,000 to 7,000 protesters attended, while the police gave informal estimates of 5 to 12 thousand.^[1] There was an equal number of counter-protestors, but according to the pro-victory grass roots organization known as the Gathering of Eagles, the counter-protestors outnumbered the ANSWER group 2 to 1, this however is unproven and is an unofficial estimate, as the counter-protestors were scattered in a 2 sq. mi. area. The Gathering of Eagles was there to show support for the War in Iraq, the troops, and the government. It was a grass roots movement that was initially designed to protect the the Lincoln Memorial, the Vietnam Memorial, and/or Arlington Cemetery from Black bloc elements as wall as vandalism and damage. It was mostly composed of veterans and families who have or have lost family members in Iraq.^[2]

Some of the Veterans Groups present to support the war and the troops included Rolling Thunder, Nam Knights, Combat Veterans Motorcycle Club, Veitnam Veterans Motorcycle Club, United States Military Veterans Motorcycle Club.

There was a sub-protest organized primarily by members of the Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) organization, which formed a black bloc at the corner of 23rd Street and Constitution Avenue NW in Washington, and marched alongside the main march group for much of the route. The black bloc separated just before the main march entered the Pentagon's north parking lot, and attempted to march closer to the Pentagon. Pentagon Police and Virginia State Police officers responding to the splinter march utilized concussive grenades and threatened to utilize less than lethal chemical crowd control agents. The black bloc had a two to three hour sit-in, and after that took a vote and decided to return to Washington. They followed the route of the original protest, except now blocking traffic, and knocking over construction barricades. The bloc was ultimately dispersed near were the protest originally gathered by MPDC officers on bicycles, and Park Police officers in riot gear. At least two were arrested.