2nd day of local protests follow war anniversary

CHICAGO Marches and rallies began Wednesday on the fifth anniversary of the war. A final rally is being held Thursday night at Chicago's Federal Plaza.

Demonstrators say they have held several events throughout the day. Some of them have targeted businesses and at least one congressman here in the Chicago area. Now, according to some of the demonstrators, 11 people have been arrested throughout the day. ABC7 has confirmed four arrests.

Most of these folks have two different points that they would like to make. The first one being that the funding for the war should end. The second point they're making is that they want the troops home as soon as possible.

Some of the protesters went to Congressman Rahm Emanuel's office earlier Thursday as well where four of them were arrested for disorderly conduct and trespassing.

"He chained us to this unjust and immoral war. We had to chain ourselves to the office to drive that point home so that maybe we get noticed," said protester John Volkening.

"One protest every year isn't going to stop the war. We need to get active and get mobile and do something about it," said protester Monica Ybarra.

There were several other people who did not want to go on camera who disagreed with the protesters. The people who did not want to go on camera essentially said, we all agree that the war should end. But some of them also added that it should be a slow, methodical process pulling out of Iraq.

Nearly 200 hand-drawn sketches of Illinois soldiers who have died in service to the country since 2001 are on display in downtown Chicago.

The "Portrait of a Soldier" memorial project marks the fifth anniversary of the Iraq war.

Family members of some of the fallen soldiers joined Lieutenant Governor Pat Quinn in introducing the exhibit Thursday afternoon.

Some reflected on their loss.

"What I would like to do today is say thank you to Keith and all of the other soldiers memorialized here today," said Barbara Nurnberg, whose son Keith was killed in Iraq.

"You see the men and women's faces on these walls and we've lost them. So please, honor their sacrifice," said Jim Frazier, whose son Jacob was killed in Iraq.

The Portrait of a Soldier exhibit will be on display in the Thompson Center lobby through 5 p.m. Friday.