The nation's three largest antiwar coalitions appear to have cast aside their differences and agreed to support a mass antiwar march on the Republican National Convention in September.

On Saturday, United for Peace and Justice, which played a key role in organizing the anti-war march that drew an estimated 500,000 people at the 2004 Republican convention in New York, and two other large groups -- International ANSWER and the Troops out Now Coalition -- formally announced their support of a mass antiwar march at a planning conference at the University of Minnesota.

In recent years, these three large coalitions - which represent thousands of smaller antiwar groups nationally -- have not endorsed each other's national demonstrations, due to differences over policy focus and personalities.

But those differences, if they still exist, have taken a back seat to political expediency, and the broader cause of removing the Republicans from the White House, activists said Saturday

The show of unity signifies a level of cooperation that has not existed in the recent past and likely will enhance turnout at the march, which organizers predict will draw at least 50,000 people and upwards of 100,000.

"Because of their signing on, this will truly be a national demonstration, not just a regional or local demonstration," said Meredith Aby, a local antiwar activist working on the conference.

Pressing police for a permit

However, logistical obstacles remain. The Coalition to March on the RNC and Stop the War, which was formed locally last year, has been pressing St. Paul police for months for permits to nail down a march route that will take protesters near the Xcel Energy Center, where the convention will be held.

The police have cited a city ordinance saying that demonstration permits are issued no more than 180 days in advance.

Some activists said they fear a repeat of the 2004 GOP convention in New York, when the permit process dragged on until days before the event.

The weekend conference at the U was an opportunity for the activists to discuss strategy and ways to increase participation.

With the Iraq war recently taking a back seat to the economy as a central campaign issue, there was talk among participants about broadening the message to address the economic impact of the war, including the military budget's drain on domestic programs

"There is an economic crisis that's like a steamroller rolling forth," said Sara Flounders, a representative from Troops Out Now Coalition, speaking before an auditorium of more than 150 activists. "We don't know how that will look in six months ... but it's important to remember that war and years and years of militarism is coming home."

Chris Serres • 612-673-4308