by Patrick Whittle

HEMPSTEAD, New York - A series of Iraq war protests throughout the day culminated with the arrest of 15 people on disorderly conduct charges at the gates of Hofstra University.

The largest crowd, about 350 people, carrying signs and shouting slogans, gathered outside the gates at 5:30 p.m. and remained for hours. Smaller groups gathered earlier on campus, in downtown Hempstead and at the Hempstead train station.

About 7:30 p.m. a scrum broke out between protesters and mounted police outside the gates when police refused to allow anti-war veterans into the debate. Mounted police pushed a group of about 200 people away from the gates, inciting some protesters to hurl obscenities at the police.

At least two people were hurt in the commotion when a police horse stepped on them, witnesses said. Ambulances responded and left with at least one person, whose identity and condition were not available.

Nassau Police spokesman Det. Lt. Kevin Smith said, "They were turned away from trying to enter the Hofstra north gate. When they insisted on coming through they were placed under arrest ... there might have been one injury. I don't believe that it was serious and he was taken to an area hospital."

Most of those arrested were expected to be released on court appearance tickets for Nov. 10, police said.

Earlier in the day, Jean Stevens of Manhattan, a spokeswoman for peace group Code Pink, said the anti-war protesters were "here to bring our message to both candidates and both parties to stop the war."

But Moe Fletcher of Island Park, whose son Jacob died in Iraq in 2003, said he came to Hofstra to "support the troops ... and the country." Fletcher and a dozen pro-troops demonstrators got into a few shouting matches with the peace protesters, but police said their intervention was never needed.

The peace protesters were members of a patchwork of anti-war groups. Geoff Millard of Washington, D.C., a member of Iraq Veterans Against the War, said he favors an "immediate withdrawal" and "full benefits for returning servicemen."

At a 3 p.m. rally on Washington Street, several speakers fired up the crowd of 150 with impassioned speeches against the war. Some demonstrators held signs that said "Drive Out the Bush Regime" and "Bail Out People - Not the Banks." Some speakers were vaguely pro-Barack Obama, and almost all were vehemently anti-John McCain.

One speaker, Vietnam veteran Hugh Bruce of Brooklyn, said: "Both political candidates are giving us the pabulum that we should be winding down in Iraq, only to increase our involvement in Afghanistan."

Bruce added: "We better hope Barack Obama is another Franklin Delano Roosevelt, because we're gonna need one."