February 15, 2003, anti-war protests facts for kids

On February 15, 2003, people all over the world joined together for a huge day of protests. They wanted to show that they were against the upcoming invasion of Iraq. These protests happened in over 600 cities around the globe.

This day was part of a larger series of protests and political events. These events had started in 2002 and kept going even after the war began. Experts who study social movements have called the February 15 protest "the largest protest event in human history."

Millions Protest: A Global Movement

Many people took part in these protests. It's hard to know the exact number, but different sources give different ideas. According to BBC News, between six and eleven million people protested. This happened in up to sixty countries during the weekend of February 15 and 16. Other estimates say the number was even higher, from eight million to thirty million people.

Major Protests Around the World

Some of the biggest protests took place in Europe. The city of Rome, Italy, saw about three million people protest. This huge gathering is even listed in the 2004 Guinness Book of World Records. It's known as the largest anti-war rally ever.

Madrid, Spain, had the second largest protest. More than 1.5 million people gathered there to speak out against the invasion of Iraq. Interestingly, Mainland China was the only major region that did not have any protests on that specific day. However, smaller demonstrations, mostly by foreign students, happened there later.

Images for kids

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  Protest in London

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  A puppet representing Italian PM Silvio Berlusconi during the demonstration in Rome

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  Anti-war protest in London.

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  NYPD officers advance on protesters during a brief outbreak of violence

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  60,000–200,000 protesters of various ages demonstrated in San Francisco, (accounts vary as to the total number present)

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  Protesters in Cape Town.

See also

In Spanish: Protestas antiguerra del 15 de febrero de 2003 para niños