PORTLAND (WGME) -- Dozens of Mainers are voicing anger following the air strike in Iraq. More than 40 people gathered in Congress Square to demonstrate early Saturday afternoon.

Bruce Gagnon, who opposes the air strike in Baghdad which killed Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani , believes it was a bad call. "Our country has just done something that I think is incredibly insane and provocative," said Gagnon.

WGME
By Taylor Gleason
January 4th 2020

The protesters created signs and stood on the corner waving to drivers passing by on Congress Street.

U.S. Senate Green candidate Lisa Savage attended the protest.

She says the tension between the U.S, Iran and Iraq have gone on for decades, under multiple presidents, and that there needs to be a check in power.

"Congress has for the past 20 years or so has not been doing their duty of overseeing the war making powers of the executive branch of government," said Savage.

Portland resident Adam Rice is hoping the U.S. takes a step back to focus on what is happening domestically.

"We want to build something better, a peaceful world where we are taking care of problems at home instead of creating new problems across the ocean," said Rice.