Protestors in Harlem Rail Against Zimbabwe Sanctions and Libya Bombing

Some thousands of people, many from New York City's African-American community, gathered on Malcolm X Boulevard in Harlem on Aug. 13 to protest the U.S./NATO bombing campaign against the Libyan people. People also raised U.S. attacks on Somalia and interventions against Zimbabwe, Sudan, Ivory Coast and other African countries. Some of the organizing groups were the Nation of Islam, the December 12 Movement, the Freedom Party and many local organizations, most reflecting the Pan-African activist movement. Anti-imperialist organizations like the International Action Center also supported the event. Workers World Party members distributed thousands of newspapers and leaflets throughout the city to build for the action.

The streets of Harlem, were alive with sounds of protest as a coalition of left wing groups gathered there to demonstrate against US foreign policy…Specifically to express outrage about the US led bombing campaign in Libya and economic sanctions against Zimbabwe.

The event called the Millions in Harlem march was organized by the Nation of Islam. It's controversial leader Louis Farrakhan has publicly supported Libya's Muhammar Gaddafi and Zimbabwe's Robert Mugabe despite the questionable human right records of both leaders. National Black United Front leader Kofi Tahara said the U.S. and its allies should mind their own business. "On this question of the bombing of Libya by Western Imperialitst. We know that it has never been in our interest when outsiders come into our community and solve our problems. What we're saying is that if its an African problem  we need and African solution"

Radio personality Dr. Bob Law compared the opposition to U.S. military action now to the Vietnam war of the 1960's and 70's.  "Dr. Martin Luther King opposed the war in Vietnam and his appearance in Harlem energized that movement So today the honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan

Protesters say NATO and Untied Nations actions in Africa are illegal and are indicative of the west's disrespect of black people abroad and right here in the United States.

"They don't care about black people dying in Africa" said New York City Councilman Charles Barron. "They don't care about black people dying in America.  That's not why they're there.. They're there for oil"

Another theme of the event was the revitalization of the Pan Africanism– a movement that seeks to unify African people into a "one African community"

Organizers had a laundry list of items they railed about in this rally.  Police brutality, rampant unemployment in the black community, gentrification, housing foreclosures, destruction of public education, closing hospitals, and proliferation of the prison industry with what they called they described as a racist justice system that is tilted against people of color?

The annual event which stemmed from the historic Million man march in Washington DC in back in 1995 has dwindled in size in recent years. But many here see U.S. foreign policy in Africa and Its domestic policies towards urban communities as flash points to rally the community in greater numbers politically.