Father of Berg speaks out

• Tweet

WASHINGTON, June 5 (UPI) -- The father of Nick Berg, the American beheaded by Al-Qaeda operatives in Iraq last month, spoke out against the Bush administration's policies at a protest outside the White House on Saturday.

Michael Berg urged Americans to "act now to stop war and end racism" and to "take non-violent direct action" to "let our leaders know (that) in this democracy, they have to do a better job of representing what we, the American people want, and what we want is peace now."

He said he held "the Bush administration accountable for denying (his) son his civil rights for the thirteen days of his illegal detention", and accused them of 'callous behaviour" which contributed to Nick's death. "(They are)violating the heart of the constitution of the United States of America," he said.

The statements came at a rally in Lafayette Park organised by the A.N.S.W.E.R.Coalition, accusing Bush and Rumsfeld of war crimes. After addresses by several speakers, the protesters began a march to the house of Donald Rumsfeld, presently in Singapore.

Protesters shouted "terrorist," "war criminal" and "torturer" towards an empty White House, the President currently in Europe for D-Day celebrations.

There appeared to be around 3000 demonstrators present, although organizers were unable to give a reliable estimate.