Marking the fourth anniversary of the invasion of Iraq, demonstrators gathered in downtown Portland Monday morning, and at more than a dozen other vigils across the area throughout the day.

KGW photo

Police contain unruly protesters during the anti-war march on Sunday in Portland.

The vigils honored American soldiers who were wounded or killed in Iraq in a variety of solemn memorials that included silent candlelight vigils, readings of personal accounts written by family members of those who have died, and readings of the names of fallen soldiers.

"It is time to stop the escalation, bring our troops home safely and end this war," said Annette Steiner, a MoveOn.org Political Action member. "We urge Representatives Wu and Bluemenauer and Senators Smith and Wyden to pass legislation to redeploy American troops out of Iraq this year."

A gathering in Portland's Pioneer Square included signs spelling out a message to the people of Iraq, calling for the withdrawal of U.S. troops.

The Monday vigils were small compared to protests on Sunday, when t housands of demonstrators crowded into a grassy stretch of downtown and marched through Portland to call for an end to the war.

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At the end of that hourlong march, a small group broke off for a series of scuffles with police and a standoff that lasted into the evening. Fourteen protesters were arrested, police said.

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The Portland protest was one of several around the country over the weekend and one of the larger ones, with the crowd numbering in the thousands. Organizers said there might have been as many as 15,000 people at the staging point for the march. Police did not give a crowd estimate.

KGW photo

Police, demonstrators clash during the anti-war rally on Sunday.

Families, students and older citizens participated in the demonstration, with scores of officers on bicycles and afoot keeping watch.

The protest started with a rally at Portland's South Park Blocks. Raed Jarrar, an Iraqi and human rights activist, told the crowd that only a few Iraqis collaborate with U.S. forces, so the war is now between the occupiers and almost everyone else in the country.

The war "is happening because of the occupation, not in spite of it," said Jarrar, who left Iraq after Saddam Hussein was toppled and now lives in the United States.

"There are Iraqis who can rebuild their country," he said. "They don't need someone to come from thousands of miles away to tell them how to treat their neighbor. They are the only ones who can end this violence."

Steve Weiss of Salem accompanied a group of people with children who are in the military and said his 18-year-old son will leave for Iraq April 11.

"Kids go in for all sorts of reasons," he said. "I think physically he's really well trained, but mentally, I think he has no idea what he is getting into."

KGW photo

Demonstrators during Sunday's rally in downtown Portland.

Susan Hay, a high school teacher from Portland, marched with her two children and husband.

"This is a war to establish U.S. hegemony," said Hay. "This is a war to be able to consume everyone else's resources."

Ann Huntwork, 75, manned a stall where peace organizations gave workshops on topics such as "verbal nonviolent direct action" and said she belonged to a group of women who have protested at military recruiting centers.

"We're exploiting our age," she said.

 VIDEO: KGW report on anti-war protest in Portland

U.S. Rep. Earl Blumenauer, an early critic of the war, addressed the crowd before the march.

"Missing the chance to build a more coherent foreign policy is wrong. We can't just be right, we've got to end this war," said Blumenauer.

As the march along 24 blocks ended, a group of young people led police on bicycles, horses and motorcycles through downtown. A few of the protesters wore black and called themselves anarchists. A few wore the green of the University of Oregon.

A few scuffles broke out, police used pepper spray at one point, and several people were led away in plastic cuffs.

Late in the afternoon, protesters stood on one side of the street chanting, "Let them go," while police in riot gear lined the other side of the street in front of front of the Justice Center, which holds the jail.

Some taunted officers, chanting, "You're sexy, you're cute, take off that riot suit."

A few protesters carried a black banner that read, "No Gods, no country, no masters," and a circled A symbol for anarchy.

Some said the police overreacted.

"They showed a huge amount of force," said Jake Fagan, 21, of Portland, who said he had lost two friends in Iraq. "But we are just trying to march."