By Kevin Robbins
Staff Writer
“Hands off of Iran!”
Roughly 50 protesters chanted the slogan Saturday during a peace protest marching from Consolidated School on School Street and ending at Walker’s Point, President George W. Bush’s family compound in Kennebunkport.
Protest organizer Jamilla El-Shafei said protests against Bush’s visits have traditionally been larger. El-Shafei said she did not know about the presidential visit until the weekend before, leaving her a week to organize the protest. There were also different peace protests and peace festivals in Boston and Brunswick, she said.
El-Shafei said close to 2,000 people protested when Russian President Vladimir Putin visited Walker’s Point in July 2007 and nearly 4,000 protested when Bush visited Kennebunkport last August.
“I think we were a small group, but a loud group. We feel that Bush is a war criminal and we want him to know that he is not welcome here [in Kennebunkport]. We think he should be in jail and not on vacation,” El-Shafei said following the protest march.
 Protesters joined El-Shafei for similar reasons.
 “There is symbolism in people coming together to oppose what the Bush administration stands for. If we don’t take the time to stand for opposition, then other people may come to take away our power and do away with our rights,” Kennebunk resident Steve Hodge said.
West Kennebunk resident Patricia Frost agreed with Hodge.
“I’m protesting for all of the people who are not protesting and having their constitution danced on by an idiot,” Frost said.
New Hampshire resident Landon Clouse and his two children who were on vacation in Kennebunkport gave  protesters a thumbs down when the march passed.
“Support your troops. Support your president,” Clouse said as the protesters passed.