Human chain
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A human chain is a form of demonstration in which people link their arms as a show of political solidarity.
The number of demonstrators involved in a human chain is often disputed; the organizers of the human chain often report higher numbers than governmental authorities.
Notable human chains, in chronological order, have included:
| Date | Event | Location | Number of participants | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 | Berkshire, England, United Kingdom | 40,000-80,000 | Protested siting of American nuclear missiles in West Germany. | |
| August 23, 1989 | Baltic Way | Estonia; Latvia; Lithuania | 2,000,000 | Called for independence for Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. Was followed by a similar chain in August 23, 1991, with people holding candles. |
| 2000 | Latin American Jubilee 2000 | Germany | 50,000 | Called for debt forgiveness for developing nations. |
| February 28, 2004 | 228 Hand-in-Hand Rally | Taiwan: from Keelung to Eluanbi (500 kilometers, 300 miles) | over 1,000,000 (over 2,000,000 according to organizers) | Commemoration of the 228 Incident and protest of People's Republic of China missiles aimed at Taiwan. |
| July 25, 2004 | Israeli Chain | Gush Katif (Jewish communities adjacent to the Gaza Strip, Israel), to the Western Wall, Jerusalem (90 kilometers) | 130,000 (according to police); 200,000 (according to organizers) | Opposing Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's Disengagement Plan which involves dismantling of Jewish communities and settlements of Gush Katif. |
| May 1, 2006 | Great American Boycott | New York City. (Manhattan, Queens,Brooklyn Bronx) | 12,000 (according to CNN [1]) | Protesting H.R. 4437, a bill in Congress that would make illegal immigrants into felons. |
