The group organizing the protests
Act Now to Stop War and End Racism (
ANSWER), also known as 
International A.N.S.W.E.R. and the 
ANSWER Coalition, is a United States–based 
protest umbrella group consisting of many antiwar and civil rights organizations. Formed in the wake of the 
September 11th attacks, ANSWER has since helped to organize many of the largest 
anti-war demonstrations in the United States, including demonstrations of hundreds of thousands against the 
Iraq War.
[1][2] The group has also organized activities around a variety of other issues, ranging from the 
Israel/
Palestine debate to 
immigrant rights to 
Social Security to the extradition of 
Luis Posada Carriles.[
citation needed]
ANSWER characterizes itself as 
anti-imperialist, and its steering committee consists of socialists, communists, civil rights advocates, and left-wing or progressive organizations from the Muslim, Arab, Palestinian, Filipino, Haitian, and Latin American communities. Many of ANSWER's lead organizers had 
ties to the International Action Center and Workers World Party at the time of ANSWER's founding.
[3]
ANSWER has faced 
criticism from other anti-war groups for its affiliations, tactics at demonstrations, and allegedly sectarian approach to joint anti-war work. 
It also faced criticism from various sources for its claimed anti-Zionist politics.