George Ramsey holds up a sign in front of police officers at an anti-war rally downtown Saturday afternoon. Tommorrow marks the thrid year anniversary of the US invasion of Iraq.

Hundreds of people gathered Saturday in downtown Austin for the Million Musician March, an anti-war protest to which participants brought their musical instruments.

Musicians played in the march, which began noon Saturday at Ninth and Neches streets and snaked along downtown until it reached the steps of City Hall. Protesters chanted "Bush lied, and thousands died" after arriving at City Hall. No counter-protesters were vocal at the event.

Aside from the music and sound, the protest included two women dressed entirely in purple carrying a 4-by-4-foot origami crane.

The large "peace crane" was built by April Bederman and Mavis Muller. A nearby display of a papier-mache man holding an American flag and enthralled by a television read "Snap out of it" in large, colorful letters.

"That was another one of my projects," Bederman said.

Aside from protest signs, banners and buttons, the crowd carried guitars, saxophones, trombones, harmonicas and even ukeleles. Protesters said the atmosphere created by South By Southwest, a local music festival, charged the march even more.

Austin resident Steve Stratakos said he saw people at SXSW who were eligible to be drafted "waiting in line to hear some music, when they really should be in this line," referring to the protest line.

Stratakos brought his son Johnny along because he said that he feels it is important to share his politics with his children so that they understand what he considers important.

"They'll be draft age in a few years, and it's important they understand that," Stratakos said.

In addition to the Austinites who attended, individuals from other states came down to show their support. Some made the trip from as far as the West Coast.

"We came all the way from Alaska," Bederman said.

Also in attendance were anti-war organizations, including CodePink Austin, a self-described women's grass-roots peace and social justice movement.

"Women say no to war," said CodePink spokeswoman Susie Kirk. "We even took a proclamation to the U.N. with over 100,400 signatures."

Although some questioned whether protest will have any effect, others said they were just glad to see that people show up.

"I'm just really happy by the turnout and happy the movement is gaining power," said Dan Fenter of Austin.

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