"We are telling the world that we are patriotic Americans but we do not support going to war with Iraq," Sheen said

LOS ANGELES, January 12 (IslamOnline & News Agencies) – U.S. movie star Martin Sheen on Saturday, January 11, led thousands of people in a rowdy protest march in Los Angeles against President George W. Bush's plans to wage war on Iraq.

Sheen, who plays a fictional U.S. president on the hit television show "The West Wing," called for Americans to fight for a peaceful approach to the Washington's crisis centering on Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, Agence France-Presse (AFP) reported Sunday, January 12.

"A lot of people have been silenced for a long time but that is ending," he said.

"We are telling the world that we are patriotic Americans but we do not support going to war with Iraq.

"From this time forth, may all our thoughts and deeds be a non-violent response to violence," he told the cheering crowd in a presidential tone.

Police sources said that up to 6,000 demonstrators took part in a protest march and rally held in front of government buildings in the west coast city's downtown area, chanting "no blood for oil" and "stop Bush now."

Sheen, a veteran anti-nuclear campaigner who was the main speaker at the rally, has been one of the most vociferous opponents in Hollywood to Washington's policy toward Iraq.

Sheen pushed the wheelchair of celebrated Vietnam War veteran Ron Kovic, who suffered severe war wounds and whose story was featured in the movie "Born on the Fourth of July."

"The government is leading us into a situation that can only hurt us as a nation," Kovic said, addressing the crowd.

The protest organized by the group ANSWER (Act Now to Stop War and End Racism) was noisy but peaceful with performances by musicians including Jackson Browne and Slash from the heavy rock group Guns 'N' Roses.

The demonstration had been billed as the largest anti-war protest in Los Angeles since the Vietnam War.

ANSWER is planning more protests next weekend in San Francisco and Washington DC.

The demonstration came as the Bush administration stepped up its military buildup in the Middle East despite assertions by United Nations inspectors that they have not found a "smoking gun" pointing to any prohibited Iraqi weapons programs.

Last month, a group of Hollywood stars including Sheen, Kim Basinger, Matt Damon and Anjelica Huston were among scores of celebrities who called on the administration not to go to war against Iraq.

That followed a string of star-studded protests and petitions against a possible war signed by some of Hollywood's brightest stars.