ALBANY — Several hundred people marched against the war in Iraq Saturday and for related causes.

Speakers and signs called for pulling U.S. troops out of Iraq and urged no war with Iran. One sign said “No to Afghan war,” and another denounced President Bush as a war criminal. You could buy a bumper sticker for $2 saying “Speak out for peace” or one with the message “I’d rather be smashing imperialism.” Buttons, on sale at the same booth, proclaimed “Islam is not the enemy,” “World peace,” “Impeach Bush” and “Wal-Mart sucks.” One man’s T-shirt was emblazoned with: “Anything war can do, peace can do better.”

The crowd of all ages gathered on the west side of the Capitol. The singers and speakers stood in front of a statue of George Washington with the Alfred E. Smith Building looming behind.

At a display in the park there, the names of thousands of dead U.S. soldiers and Iraqi civilians appeared on pieces of paper. The papers snapped back and forth in the cold wind.

Michael Gorla of Niskayuna held a banner from the First Unitarian Society of Schenectady. Fellow member Kevin O’Connor, also of Niskayuna, stood next to him, holding a wooden peace sign.

A sign from United University Professions, the union representing state university professors, said: “Money for education, not for war.” A banner advocating peace was held by several Roman Catholic Sisters of St. Joseph from Latham.

Leila Zand, an Iranian-American from Niskayuna, was one of the speakers and said the United States should leave Iran alone. “I say enough to the axis of evil. I say enough to the great Satan. I say enough to war,” she concluded. Zand said later she meant to oppose the harsh rhetoric used by both sides.

May Saffar, an Iraqi immigrant living in Clifton Park, gave another fiery speech, saying the Iraqi city of Fallujah, a center of Sunni resistance to U.S. forces, “has placed itself as a jewel in the crown” of the Arab people. She closed with a call for peace.

When the first round of speakers and musicians ended, at about 2:50 p.m., Doug Bullock, an Albany County legislator and labor activist, used his bullhorn to organize the start of the march.

The U.S. flag should lead off, he said, followed by Veterans for Peace and the group holding a banner that said: “1,000,000 Iraqis dead.”

The 1 million figure appears to be based on a study released Jan. 28 by Opinion Research Business, a British pollster. Other estimates are much lower. Iraq Body Count says “documented civilian deaths from violence” are under 90,000 since the U.S. invasion five years ago. U.S. deaths are close to 4,000.

Soon the marchers were heading west on Washington Avenue, on a loop that would take them via Lark Street and Madison Avenue back to where they began. Staying on the sidewalk, participants chanted: “Can’t take it no more. Stop the war.” A drum kept time.

As the park emptied out, someone got to the microphone and said: “Vote for Nader, America’s last chance.” Matt Funiciello, a supporter of Ralph Nader’s presidential candidacy, said earlier that Nader is coming on a fundraising trip to Glens Falls on April 26. On April 11, anti-war activist Cindy Sheehan is coming to the First Unitarian Universalist Society of Albany.

Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama also had plenty of supporters at the rally.

Darius Shahinfar, a candidate to succeed U.S. Rep. Michael McNulty, D-Green Island, who is retiring this year, was among the marchers. He said he had seen two of his rival congressional candidates, Phil Steck and Tracey Brooks, at the rally.

Also there was Judith Enck, a top environmental aide to Gov. David Paterson, and her husband, Mark Dunlea, an anti-hunger activist.

Enck held a sign saying, “Stop Iraq war.”