NEW YORK, March 23: Around 500,000 people turned out at a demonstration against the Iraq attack in New York on Saturday, a day which saw expressions of anger against the military action in other US cities, including Washington and Los Angeles.

Over 100 of the protesters were arrested by police at the end of the demonstration in New York and about 80 were arrested in Los Angeles.

In Los Angeles, an estimated 2,500 anti-war demonstrators made their way down Sunset Boulevard - a group that included actor Tim Robbins, actress Susan Sarandon and Spanish director Pedro Almodovar.

In New York the marchers stretched more than five kilometres down Broadway, chanting “No Blood for Oil” and carrying signs such as “Support our troops, bring them home,” “Peace is patriotic” and “You can’t save a country by bombing it.”

The demonstration, which was organized by the “United for Peace and Justice” organization, included several celebrities, among them Roy Schneider, Ossie Davis and Ruby Dee. The marchers were joined by Rep. Charles Rangel. Talking to reporters he said: “We support the troops, but we do not support the president.”

The New York police department said 91 demonstrators were arrested, and were charged with disorderly conduct, resisting arrest and assaulting a police official.

“Fourteen police officers were sprayed with some chemicals and had to be hospitalized,” a police spokesman said. “Initially we thought it was mace, but now they’re doing a chemical analysis to determine what it was.”

Riot officers and mounted police tried to get control of the crowd, announcing via loudspeaker that those who remained in the area could face arrest.

As police stepped in to disperse the crowd, a group of protesters started to chant: “Go fight crime.”

For the third day in San Francisco, thousands of demonstrators took to the streets.

After five hours of anti-war rallies and marches in downtown San Francisco police moved in and made a number of arrests.

In California’s capital, Sacramento, there was a rally in support of the military action.

In Washington, several hundred protesters marched along the Lafayette Park, across the street from the White House. Police and secret service officials were present in large numbers.

The protesters marched through downtown Washington carrying signs that read: “Indict Bush for crimes against peace”, “Money for jobs, not war”, and “Bring the troops home now: No war and occupation”.