The protest, organized by the New York Civil Liberties Union, Act Now To Stop War & End Racism and other civil rights groups, came as Bush made a brief tour of the city for a fund-raising function of the Republican 2004 election campaign.

Demonstrators gathered outside the Sheraton Hotel, where the convention was being held. They chanted slogans against Bush and his policy on Iraq and carried posters such as "Stop Bush," "Bush and Congress lie about WMD (weapons of mass destruction)," "Elect a mad man, you get madness."

Some demonstrators took turns to make speeches. One speaker said Bush has gone to war in the name of freedom, liberty and democracy, but he is undermining freedom, liberty and democracy around the world.

At least seven demonstrators were arrested on disorderly conduct charges, police said.

Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney collected nearly US$6 million to their 2004 reelection campaign chest, bringing the total for their first week's fund-raising to US$11.9 million.

Bush shared the stage with New York State Governor George Pataki and former Mayor Rudolph Giuliani as Mayor Michael Bloomberg left earlier to throw the first pitch at a Brooklyn Cyclones game.

Bush opened his address by saying: "We have captured or killed many key leaders of al-Qaeda, and the rest of them know we're hot on their trail."

About 1,200 attended the 2,000-dollar-a-head fundraiser.

New York City, a traditionally Democratic stronghold, was not among Bush's favorite money-raising towns when he first ran for president in 2000. Bush started his reelection fundraising efforts last Tuesday in Washington. His aim is supposedly to raise US$170 million for the primary campaign, in which he is unopposed.

(Xinhua News Agency June 24, 2003)