Iraqi Christians protest in Westwood

Associated Press – July 25, 2007 8:34 PM ET
WESTWOOD, Calif. (AP) – About 150 Iraqi Christians demonstrated in front of the Westwood federal building today, demanding that the Iraqi and American governments do more to protect their families still in Iraq.

Christians face some of the worst persecution in Iraq’s civil war, in part because as a minority community they don’t have militias to protect them.

Passing cars honked as protesters waved American flags and large wooden crosses and held signs saying “Save the Christians.”

Some of the protesters, mostly middle-aged and elderly, came to the US over the last 20 years while fleeing oppression or persecution under former dictator Saddam Hussein.

They say their families still in Iraq have fled Baghdad to northern provinces or immigrated to Syria or Jordan.