"Thousands protest..."

Baghdad, Firdous Square, 09.04.2003, anti-Saddam's-statue/pro-US crowds:

Baghdad, Firdous Square, 09.04.2005, anti-Saddam/Bush/Bliar crowds:

With hat tips to Whatever It Is, I'm Against It. The number Juan Cole quotes for the above is up to 300 of those "thousands", and he comments what I said last August: Sadr is winning. (On the other hand, Muqtada has no sovereignity over the Sadrist movement: for example, recent troubles in Basra were linked to the Fadila Party, which is run by a rival claimant to his father's heritage.)

UPDATE: I see Bella Ciao (who have the Budapest peace-sign protest in their banner at top: third from right) had the same comparison in mind. Check the photos there, you'll see the crowd even filled a long street, not just the place.