Thousands Protest Colombia Rebels

Movement harnesses Facebook in mass rally
By Zach Samalin,  Newser Staff
Posted Feb 5, 2008 3:19 AM CST
Thousands Protest Colombia Rebels
Demonstrators march through the streets of Medellin, Colombia, Monday, Feb. 4, 2008, during a protest against the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC. Thousands of Colombians wearing white T-shirts marched in several major cities against the FARC. (AP Photo/Luis Benavides)   (Associated Press)

In a mammoth Facebook-inspired protest, as many as 2 million demonstrators flooded the streets of Bogota yesterday, and thousands more marched in other parts of Colombia and nearly 100 cities worldwide as people called for an end to Colombia's guerrilla group FARC. "No more kidnapping, no more lies, no more deaths, no more FARC," read protest banners.

The march germinated on Facebook, where some 250,000 users logged on to spread the word. "I think this march will set a precedent in Colombia because for the first time all Colombians are going to protest as one body," said one woman. FARC freed three of its estimated 700 prisoners last weekend, which some consider a response to the "No More" movement's increasingly popular anti-FARC sentiment. (More FARC stories.)

Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X