About 250 local residents and students congregated downtown Saturday to protest U.S. involvement in the Persian Gulf, just hours after Congress gave President Bush the authority to use military force against Iraq.

"The vote today is very discouraging," demonstrator Michael Moran, a State College resident, said. "The politicians are supposed to be voting their conscience, and instead they're voting their party."

The group, calling itself Alternatives to War, has conducted candlelight vigils on the corner of College and Allen streets during each of the past six weekends. Organizers said Saturday's crowd was the largest yet.

People began assembling near the Mall at Allen Street before 5 p.m. for the scheduled hour-long demonstration. Many demonstrators said they had watched Congress on television earlier Saturday as it voted to allow Bush to use force in the Gulf.

On Saturday the Senate, by a vote of 52-47, granted Bush the authority to use force against Saddam Hussein's troops, and the House approved the use of force by a 250-183 vote.

"I'm here to show my opposition to George Bush's war," said Richard Anderson (graduate-psychology). "The nation is divided; the world is divided."

Some of the demonstrators held placards reading "Blood for Oil, Not in Our Name" and "Be Quick to Love People." At one point the demonstrators stood in a line extending for more than 100 yards along the north side of College Avenue while other protesters occupied each corner of the intersection.

State College Area High School students Nicole Thigpen and Jen Houlihan held signs reading, "Peace Not War."

"It's our generation that's going to be involved," 17-year-old Thigpen said.

"The people in this country don't really know what we're fighting for," she said. "Is it for oil, or so George Bush doesn't look like a wimp, or what?"

Drivers of automobiles traveling on College Avenue honked their horns as they drove past the line of demonstrators. One passer-by exclaimed, "Peace sucks." Other pedestrians stopped to receive anti-war literature or walked past the demonstration silently.

Amanda Shauger (senior-general arts and science) said, "Some people walk by and say, 'Don't you think it's too late?' Well, no, I don't think it's ever too late."

Moran, a 59-year-old veteran said, "For somebody my age, (former President Jimmy) Carter's starting to look like a brilliant man. The Mideast was on the front burner of his administration."

Moran said he participated in the Berlin Airlift as a member of the 82nd Airborne Division. He said he opposed the use of that division in the invasions of Grenada and Panama. The 82nd Airborne is now in the Persian Gulf and Moran said he objects to "using them like policemen for the whole world."

Moran said the United States has adopted a hypocritical policy in choosing to intervene on behalf of some countries' freedom fighters while ignoring others.

"We didn't do anything about Tiananmen Square. We're not doing anything about Lithuania right now," Moran said.

Robert S. Hatten, president of Alternatives to War, said the group first conducted a think-tank to assemble and present "as many ideas and possible solutions to our leaders."

Hatten encouraged group members to mail letters to local publications advocating peaceful solutions and also to contact their government representatives.

After watching the news at his home, Hatten said he felt that Congress had presented Bush with a "blank check."

State College resident Phyllis Mansfield said she and her husband had attended several of the vigils, but "there's more a sense of urgency because of today's news."

As more residents get an opportunity to witness the vigils, she said, "I'm hoping people say, 'Gosh, look at those great people down there. I'm going to come next time.' "

Bill and Ingrid Atkinson, both who attended Saturday's demonstration, said they passed out candles during a previous vigil. During that time they were approached by 5-year-old Erin Lukens-Gable. Lukens-Gable presented them with a toy sword and a "violent" video game that he said he wanted to exchange for a candle. When asked why he didn't want the toys, Lukens-Gable said, "I don't like fighting things."

Lukens-Gable and his parents also attended the most recent vigil.

While some passers-by questioned the effectiveness of a candlelight vigil, Moran said, "For all of us here, we'll sleep better tonight."