Over 200 people joined together in St. Paul on Friday, April 30th to protest the US occupation of Iraq and to say "Bring the Troops Home Now." The protest was held in front of the offices of Republican US Senator Norm Coleman.

The protest was initiated by the Iraq Peace Action Coalition to mark the one-year anniversary since President Bush announced the "end of major combat" operations in Iraq. Protests were planned in many cities across the U.S. over the weekend.

The statement issued by organizers says, "The political justifications that the U.S. government used to win support for the war are exposed for what they were: lies and distortions.Thousands of Iraqis have died since the invasion. In April 2004, over 700 Iraqis died in Falluja during the first stages of the U.S. siege of that city. Over 700 GIs have died in the war in Iraq. Over 500 of these deaths occurred after Bush announced the end of major combat."

For more information contact the Iraq Peace Action Coalition at:
612-379-3899, 612-827-5364 or 612-522-1861.