Cindy Sheehan, the antiwar activist whose son was killed in the war on Iraq, plans to lead a protest this afternoon near former President George W. Bush’s Preston Hollow home.
The march is sponsored by the Dallas Peace Center, which has been involved in protests with Sheehan since 2005, when the California mother staged a prolonged demonstration outside Bush’s ranch in Crawford, Texas.
“I think this is going to be the protest of the summer,” Sheehan said. “It’s really picking up a lot of energy.”
Protesters plan to gather about 4:30 p.m. at the southwest corner of Preston Road and Royal Lane. From there, they will walk about a mile to John J. Pershing Elementary School, which is across the street from gates leading to the Bush home on Daria Place.
Organizers did not apply for a permit from the city and will be required to stay on sidewalks and not cross or impede major streets, said Trish Major, communications director for the Dallas Peace Center.
“My guess is that the neighbors would probably rather that we not be there,” Major said, anticipating a cool reaction.
“”But it’s also important to remember this is the neighborhood that welcomed the Bushes warmly and they knew that by having a person of this stature in their neighborhood, this is something they would have to deal with.”
Sheehan said people who live near the former president will be joining the march. She would not provide names.
“I’m sure most people who live there won’t be happy with the protest,” she said. “But we’re going to be exercising our rights as Americans to do this and hopefully people who don’t agree with us, and us with them, will agree that all sides have the right to express their opinion.”
“There won’t be any civil disobedience or anything,” Major said. “There will be no climbing of the gates.”
sfarwell@dallasnews.com
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