Canadian anti-Bush demos fail to materialize

AFP is reporting "Hopes for early mass protests in the streets of Ottawa on the eve of Tuesday's visit by US President George W. Bush (news - web sites) fizzled out, as journalists outnumbered demonstrators."

A loose coalition of groups opposed to just about everything Bush supports had promised two demonstrations hours before Bush was due to jet into Ottawa Tuesday aboard Air Force One.

The first demonstration -- of Palestinians and sympathisers of the Palestinian cause opposed to Washington's support of Israel -- attracted less than 40 demonstrators.

According to a quick head count by journalists, the protest attracted 39 demonstrators, 42 journalists and television crew members and three police officers.

A second, ostensibly larger, demonstration scheduled for the midst of the evening rush hour -- was called by a group calling itself Students Against Bush.

Nobody turned up. Further protests however were expected on Tuesday.

Efforts to contact protest organizers were unsuccessful, with the phone numbers listed by organizers remaining unanswered.

Somebody had to go to the protest.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------