Hundreds of Iraqi protesters march in capital ahead of vote

BAGHDAD (AP) — Hundreds of Iraqis are marching in the center of Baghdad to mark two years since mass anti-government protests erupted in the Iraqi capital and southern provinces. Around one thousand protesters took part in the event, many of them carrying photos of loved ones who were killed by security forces during the protests. The commemoration comes a week before Iraq plans to hold early elections, which had been a key demand of the protesters who thronged streets in October 2019 until early 2020. Now, many of those protesters and activists are calling for a boycott of the Oct. 10 elections, convinced that nothing will change.