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EDINBURGH, Scotland - Tens of thousands of antipoverty campaigners dressed in white formed a human chain around Scotland's capital Saturday, echoing the musical call of the Live 8 concerts for the world's wealthiest nations act to lift Africa out of misery.
The "Make Poverty History" march launched a week of demonstrations ahead of the Group of Eight summit to be held near Edinburgh this week, with protesters hoping to pressure President Bush and his G-8 colleagues to end the misery of millions in the developing world.
Waving banners, blowing whistles and clutching balloons, protesters clad in white - the symbol of the antipoverty campaign - streamed through the cobbled streets, encircling Edinburgh Castle with a giant human bracelet.
Organizers said more than 200,000 people took part in the march, a figure backed up by estimates by Edinburgh City Council. Unofficial police estimates put the figure at 120,000.
The march's peaceful but powerful message came as hundreds of thousands gathered in 10 cities worldwide for a series of Live 8 concerts also aimed at pressuring the world's most powerful leaders to alleviate African poverty at the Group of Eight summit.