Visit of President Putin to the US

Life in the quiet idyllic seaside town of Kennebunk has been disrupted this weekend by several large scale events. The USA national day is upon and every fence, house and pot plant is decorated by the obligatory 'stars & stripes'. Diners and breakfast houses are proudly serving 'homefries' with every gigantic portion of pancakes and bacon.

Just down the road from the harbour is a gathering of around 4000 people, dressed in slogans, microphones and pulling a large coffin on a wooden chariot. Inside the coffin is a two-metre Statue of Liberty, proudly clutching a torch in one hand and the declaration of independence in the other. Why are they here, to the bemusement of the chilled out locals and under the watchful eye of the secret service?

This has to do with the other big event going on in town. We are actually only a mile away from the residence of George Bush Senior, former US president and father of Dubya. Together they are hosting a friend from Russia, President Vladimir Putin and the obvious entourage that goes along.

Protesters sang, spoke and danced about, then marched past the all white upper-middle class house and boat owners of Kennebunk. Past the secret service cordon and the press hotel. Most are incensed and demand the impeachment of Bush and Cheney, whilst other wants to stop the war in Iraq and the spread of corporate global capitalism. In the midst of peace-minded, energetic Americans, there were a few signs that reminded us who else has been leading a war against an impoverished country that has resulted in hundreds of thousands deaths. President Putin is in town, and whilst the local clam chowder restaurant translated their menu into Russian and declared that they are 'Putin on the Ritz', the protesters demanded peace for Chechnya and compared Russian invasion to that of the situation in Iraq.

A senior Russian lady had come down from Boston by herself having lived in US for seventeen years. She was a bit tired from holding up her sign that spoke, in Russian, of crimes against humanity, torture and disappearances taking place in Chechnya. I ran into her at the end of the protest and found her a little disorientated. She wasn't sure how to even begin the long road home. Luckily for her, she was in the midst of caring and sensitive people, and a fellow protester soon appeared, introduced her and offered to give the woman a lift. Relieved, the Russian lady joined the march now heading back into town, signs under their arms and satisfied expressions on their faces.