Anti-war demonstrators across Europe are taking to the streets again to voice their opposition to the ongoing war in Iraq. Rallies are planned in major cities in many European countries.
Tens of thousands of people are taking part in protests around Europe as it appears that the conflict in Iraq may last longer than they expected. Many protesters are concerned that a prolonged conflict could have dangerous consequences for global security.
As the number of civilian casualties continues to rise, peace activists in Italy have organized demonstrations in all major cities. One protest was called at the Rome offices of the Italian state broadcaster RAI, which protesters say is providing biased reporting of the war.
A similar demonstration is being planned in London outside the BBC television center as part of a campaign for more media coverage of deaths and injuries of civilians. A group called the Stop the War Coalition complains of biased, pro-government reporting of the war from the BBC.
A large rally is planned outside the airbase of Vicenza in northern Italy from where U.S. army paratroopers flew to Iraq earlier this week.
Marches are being staged Saturday in at least 20 cities around Britain. The country's main anti-war group says the protests are to express mounting anger at the growing number of innocent civilian casualties in Iraq.
Elsewhere in Europe, anti-war protesters are planning to take to the streets in Paris, Barcelona and Athens.
