From Michael Moore's site:

March 21st, 2008 3:24 pm
Students protest fifth anniversary of Iraq war in Portland demonstration

Protesters, primarily high-schoolers but some older, some younger, walked out of their schools to gather downtown

By Annie Martin / The Oregonian

PORTLAND, OR -- Capping a week of anti-war protests in Portland timed to coincide with the fifth anniversary of the invasion of Iraq, hundreds of students crowded the entrance to City Hall on Thursday afternoon.

The sound of protesters chanting "Not my president, not my war," could be heard for blocks. A teenage boy yelled "We are the future!" and the crowd erupted into cheers. Some protesters climbed the building's walls and pillars as city employees watched from their windows.

Most of the students walked out of area high schools in the late morning. College students and some younger than high school also mingled in the crowd, which numbered at least 400.

Kiana Hamilton, 16, said she thinks the United States is at war for "the wrong reasons," which include "trying to introduce democracy but not being able to substantiate it." The Wilson High School junior doesn't think she'll face any serious punishment when she returns to school tomorrow.

"I feel like it was a good thing," Hamilton said. "I'll take the consequences, if there are any."

Most students gathered in the North Park Blocks before the march began about 1 p.m. From there, they walked along the sidewalks to the South Park Blocks, City Hall, the Wells Fargo Center, Pioneer Courthouse Square, Tom McCall Waterfront Park and the Portland State University campus, where most eventually dispersed. Many carried signs calling for peace.

Police arrested four students between 15 and 17 years old, Sgt. Brian Schmautz said. Two others were issued citations for disobeying a traffic control device.

Portland State University student Steve McKimmy, 22, followed the protesters to City Hall. McKimmy was glad to see teenagers and young adults becoming politically active, he said.

"I've never seen a protest where the average age is 14, 15, 16 years old," he said. "Look at it. These kids don't even have facial hair. When was the last time you saw a protest where three-fourths of the guys weren't bearded?"

The walkout was organized by more than a dozen students representing several high schools and Lewis & Clark College. Most of the students heard about the event through fliers the group distributed, word of mouth and social networking sites such as Facebook.

Organizer Stella Byrne, 18, said she was pleased with the size of the crowd, and called the walkout "a smashing success." The St. Mary's Academy senior said she and the others have been planning the event since early February.

"I think the solidarity of our students is incredible," Byrne said, adding that it took "a lot of courage" for many students to leave their schools without permission.

Byrne and another organizer, Sarah Levy, 18, said they hoped the march would show that students aren't apathetic, even if most can't yet vote.

"Students need to keep building bridges," Levy, a senior at Lincoln High School, said. "We're all in this together."

Addie Ulrich, 16, said she hoped the protest would show others that people her age are concerned about the war. Ulrich, a sophomore at Tualatin High School, said "it seems like the people who don't get to vote have the most opinions."

Even though her mom didn't want her to go to the protest -- and she'll probably receive detention when she gets back to school -- Ulrich said the walkout was worth it.

"There's no way that a block of students yelling 'Peace' can not make people think," she said.

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