Vigil will protest Iraq war

The Glendale Peace Vigil is adding a twist to its members’ weekly anti-war gatherings this week, with a special vigil on Thursday to support the efforts of a like-minded group in New York.

Beginning at 5 p.m. on Thursday, they will gather at the corner of Brand Boulevard and Broadway to support New York’s Granny Peace Brigade.

The brigade is a group of women, ages 59 to 91, who are protesting what they say is the unnecessary military deployment of service men and women in Iraq.

They will be in Washington, D.C., on Thursday, lobbying members of Congress to work to stop the Iraq war, said Julianne Spillman, co-founder of the vigil.

Like the vigil, the brigade holds weekly gatherings to rally support against the war.

“People have different opinions on the war, but more and more people are glad we’re [holding vigils],” Spillman said.

The Glendale Peace Vigil was founded in protest of the war in Iraq, and its members hold public gatherings on the corner of Brand Boulevard and Broadway every Friday evening from 5 to 7 p.m.

Spillman was also formerly involved with the Canadian political group “The Raging Grannies,” which is similar to the brigade.

“They are a group of older women who wanted to do something political,” she said of both groups.

Vigil members said they are hopeful that the Granny Peace Brigade’s lobbying will be successful, and will direct more attention toward public protests.

“We’re just trying to raise awareness that the American people spoke out in the election last November, clearly directing the government to stop [the war],” vigil member Sharon Weisman said.

In addition to normal signs and chants usually carried during the vigil, Spillman said there may also be some signs in support of the Peace Brigade.

“We will have some special signs and maybe wear some hats and shawls like the grannies do,” Spillman said.

The efforts made on both coasts will hopefully spur more people into taking action against the war, Weisman said.

The vigil is encouraging people to send letters and call their local congressional representatives, asking them not to support the war.

“We want to support the grannies and get the word out,” she said.