in washington, d.c. the protests on march 19 were the culmination of other smaller demonstrations and events which took place during the weeks leading up to the five-year anniversary of the iraq war. for example, on march 7, several churches in the city held services to pray for the safety of u.s. troops and an end to the war. in the afternoon the churchgoers marched to the hart senate office building with the intention of asking u.s. senators to discontinue u.s.-funded terrorism. at least forty of the protesters were arrested as they entered the building and began praying for peace.