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JAMM AQUINO / jaquino@staradvertiser.com
Liz Rees, bottom, with the group World Can't Wait, grabbed a sign to join other protesters on Saturday at the intersection of Kailuana Place and Kalaheo Avenue in Kailua near the vacation home of President Barack Obama. The two-hour demonstration, which participants and police said was peaceful, focused on topics such as torture and government suppression of the Occupy movement.
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About 20 people assembled Saturday morning outside the security entrance to President Barack Obama’s vacation compound in Kailua to condemn U.S. wars, occupations and torture.
The gathering was organized by a local faction of World Can’t Wait, a national activist group against alleged crimes by the U.S. government.
Protesters held up signs for a variety of issues — from supporting WikiLeaks to ending U.S. support for Israel.
Some motorists honked in support, while a few showed their opposition with hand gestures or shouting out the window.
Police officers in aloha shirts with the Civil Affairs Division monitored the two-hour protest, which ended at noon. Protesters and police said there were no problems.
Liz Rees, a World Can’t Wait organizer, said the group wanted to focus on torture because Obama has not kept his campaign promise to close the prison at Guantanamo Bay.
She said the group never spotted Obama during the protest, but they were able to share their message with members of the public.
"I think it’s important (to raise attention about the issues) wherever the president is, even though he’s on vacation," she said. "These are serious issues."
Robert Stiver, 68, of Pearl City carried a handwritten sign that said, "Stop enabling zionist Israel’s genocidal oppression of the Palestinians."
He said he has opposed U.S. support of Israel since taking Arabic language and culture courses as a young man in the Army.