No War F15
15 February 2003: No War on Iraq demos.
UK: Summary Of Latest Anti-War Actions
24-03-2003 06:58
Over the last week and the weekend anti-war protests were seen in the whole of Britain, showing to the politicians that the war still has no support from the public [UK Round up]. More than half a million people all over the UK threw off apathy, lethargy and resignation to continue their resistance against the War in Iraq - significant numbers, considering that the million-strong anti-war protests on February 15th were prepared for since the European Social Forum.On Saturday 22nd major protests were held at Menwith Hill, the US spy base, and U.S. Airbase Fairford.Resistance to the war has been shown in Scotland, Manchester [1 | 2 | 3], Bristol [1 | 2] and Wales [1 | 2]. Reports of anti-war actions from Newcastle, Tyneside, York [1 | 2], Cambridge, Hereford, Hulme and Liverpool
In London up to half a million people took part in the national demonstration that finished with a rally in Hyde Park. Once the speeches had finished, several groups of people took again to the streets to blockade major roads in central London. Oxford Street saw the biggest crowd when up to 1000 people blocked the street for several hours until police made at least one arrest and then moved to surround the crowd [pics 1 | 2 | video]. Another blockade of around 700 people took place in Park Lane where police used violent tactics to cordon off the crowd for a couple of hours. There were also reports of another crowd of 200 people blocking Charing Cross Rd and then marching towards Parliament Sq.
• See M22 Timeline of Events with reports and photos of demonstrations and actions from several UK cities.
• List of audio reports from Saturday 22.
• See IMC-UK World Page for M22 anti-war protests around the world.
• Electronic resistance against the War [1 | 2 | 3 | 4]
Millions March Against the War
16-02-2003 07:16
For full coverage of F15 in London, timelines of events including first hand reports, photos and videos see our special feature in IMC-UK Major Reports page.
Huge demonstration in Glasgow!
16-02-2003 00:00
The peace demonstration in Glasgow was absolutely massive. It was at least the 50 000 reported earlier, but numbers were also said to be 80 000 or even more.
The march was colourfull and peacefull, there were no incidents. Four “ arrests ” were made, but people were released without being taken to the police station.
Protests against politicians plans to bomb Iraq's citizens in the name of humanity and the greed for oil were held all over the world, and are said to be the biggest in a long, long time, probably since the Vietnam war.
Protests occurred even in small villages and cities, like the 600 persons strong demonstration in Lerwick on the Shetland Islands. (BBC)
Approaching the elections in Scotland on 1st of may 2003, there were people present across all political persuasions. The university of Strathclyde distributed an “ International survey of anti-war protesters ” (tel: 0141 548 2214). This survey is co-ordinated by Prof. Walgrave of University of Antwerp, Belgium and distributed at the protests all over the world, asking the protesters about their political beliefs and experiences.
[ report from Glasgow | personal account |another personal account | pictures of Glasgow demo | more pictures | even more pics | further pics | nice pics ]
International Demonstrations against War and Imperialism, 15th of February.
16-02-2003 00:00
On Saturday, 15th of February, masses will take the streets all over the world to protest against the forthcoming war in the greed for oil and economical control of resources. As the politicians are getting shit-scared, the suspension and abolition of democratic, constitutional and human rights to assemble on the streets to voice alternative opinions are excluded in the lie of "security". The demonstration in Glasgow is expected to be one of the largest Scotland has seen in a long while. The Labour conference will simultaneously take place, and Blair is planned in to speak at 2pm.
[more feature on global imc about February, 15th | feature on global imc about the cancelled demos | call for red and black block at Scottish demo | International anarchist call for global action against capitalism and war]
Anti War Global Day of Action Approaches
13-02-2003 11:04
London will see perhaps up to one million people protest (police now estimate 500,000)[details], marching to Hyde Park, after the governments embarrassing climbdown over the ban on the rally in the park. At 5pm people will also gather at Green Park to engage in civil disobedience against the war, (thus far ignored by mainstream media). Huge protests are expected in Glasgow are in ireland. In New York campaigners have been refused permission to march by the UN building, but over 60 autonomous feeder marches have sprung up, all intent on converging at the UN.
The protests are set to be so large and widespread that mainstream media coverage is expected the world over. However despite being content to cover the protests, the BBC made it clear in an internal magazine that presenters and senior editorial staff should avoid participating in the name of impartiality, a move which was not applied to the countryside alliance protest. Furthermore the BBC decided to remove a band with an anti-war message from the World Music Competition on Radio 3.
Links to anti-war websites here. Schnews launch direct action anti-war website. Route of march map (inc oil and arms companies).
ARCHIVE of anti-war newswire postings: here - (Jan 26th - Feb 13th) includes various direct actions, protests, and the build up to the massive feb 15th global demo.
Massive Global Anti-War Protests Mark Gulf War Anniversary
21-01-2003 10:09
Up to 500,000 people rallied in Washington DC on Saturday, January 18 to say no to war with Iraq [chronology] Speakers at the event evoked the memory of Martin Luther King in calling for a world without violence. Speakers also said that Bush was killing the American way of life in this war for oil. The event in DC was organized by the International ANSWER coaltion - read entire feature.
A massive anti-war protest was also held in San Francisco, calling, with estimates of crowd size ranging from 200-350,000 people [chronology][pics 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | overhead photos]. All age groups were in attendance, and people of all colors attended the convergence. A radical anti-capitalist breakaway march militantly marched through the financial center smashing windows and graffitting the San Francisco Chronicle building, the British Consulate, CitiCorp, the Immigration & Naturalization Service building [1 | video 1 | 2 ], Starbucks and Victoria's Secret [ 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | audio ]. There were two confirmed arrests.
In Portland, Oregon, at least 20,000 people gathered against a preemptive war against Iraq - read entire feature. Throughout America there were many smaller protests and anti-war events, illustrating the ongoing decline in support for the Bush administration and its policies.
Tens of thousands of people joined marches, demonstrations, rallies and over 30 events across Canada.. The larger demonstrations across the country included 15-20,000 persons in Toronto, 20,000 in Vancouver, 25,000 in Montreal, 15,000 in Halifax, and 3000 in Ottawa, with smaller demonstrations in many other places - read entire feature.
About 10,000 people demonstrated on Sunday, 19 January in Brussels. At the end of the demonstration, the police arrested Karim Hasoun of the Arab European League (AEL), who helped handle security at the peaceful protests. There were also protests on 13 January against US military transports in Antwerpen, the main harbour used by the US military in Europe for transport to the Persian Gulf region- read entire feature
In the Netherlands about one hundred civilian inspectors gained access to the grounds of Volkel military. They cut through the perimeter fence in several places and used their own keys to enter several gates after padlocks were seemingly replaced by new ones. Most of them were arrested, but released later throughout the day. A Martin Luther King memory march against the plans for war against Iraq was held in Leiden, while nother action was held in Rotterdam.
Over three thousand marched in Tokyo on Saturday, January 18. On a beautiful and very cold day, more than three thousand people gathered as some of the first participants in the global protest against the war in Iraq. More than 2000 people rallied [1] against war in Christchuch in New Zealand. Demonstrators called on the New Zealand government to take a stand against war and sever its links with the US war machine. This was probably the largest antiwar event in New Zealand since the Vietnam War. The last round of anti-war actions in New Zealand were on December 14.
Anti-war protests literally spanned the globe, including demonstrations in Germany, Ireland, Canada, Australia, Turkey, Pakistan, Antarctica's McMurdo Station. Plus Portland, Ore, Yorba Linda, CA, Montpelier, VT, Charlottesville,VA, Madison, WI Rockford, Il, Albuquerque, NM, Denton County, TX, Salt Lake City, UT, Spokane, WA. Also see corporate news reports [1, 2, 3]
Anti-War Protests and Direct Action On Gulf War Anniversary
17-01-2003 04:30
In London anti war campaigners are mobilising for a weekend of protest and civil disobedience at the Permanent Joint Headquarters of the British Armed Forces at Northwood, the command post for British rapid deployment forces. Called by Voices in the Wilderness UK - a high profile campaign of civil disobedience against the economic sanctions on Iraq - ARROW (Active Resistance to the Roots of War), the d-10 group and others, the weekend of action, will include a tour of the base, a mass blockade, a mass breaching of the Official Secrets Act, non-violence trainings and other direct action. A few days later there will also be a rally outside parliament on Tuesday 21 January.
While on 26th January a civillian arms inspection - will take place at the united states air force base at RAF Fairford. The protest coincides with the last day of inspections for the UN inspectors in Iraq before Hans Blix reports to the Security Council on the 27th. The protests have been supported recently by Ann Pettitt one on the initiators of the Greenham Common anti-nuclear peace movement (see also SchNEWS)
Meanwhile around three and a half thousand people in Britain have now signed the ARROW Pledge of Resistance committing themselves to taking part or supporting acts of civil disobedience and nonviolent resistance to an attack on Iraq, should it take place.
Last week While the British Minister of Defence, Geoff Hoon, announced the mobilisation of British Armed Forces for the war on Iraq war resisters all over the world called for conscientious objection to the war. A statement by War Resisters' International, signed by more than 800 people urged all soldiers - in whichever forces they are supposed to fight, to refuse to take part and to apply for conscientious objector status.
They also urgend those involved in preparations for war, in administration or in arms factories to refuse to co-operate and called on journalists and the media to insist on writing and broadcasting the uncensored truth. Echoing George Monbiot's calls in the guardian newspaper last week (which reiterated what many people and groups had been saying for months), they called on all people opposed to the war to participate in direct action, civil disobediance and nonviolent resistance.
Finally a massive global anti-war protest is planned for the 14th and 15th of February, with groups in at least 11 European countries co-ordinating actions in a weekend that should see a total of millions taking to the streets, with a massive national demonstration in london and another in Glasgow. Coordination for the protests followed discussions and the European Social Forum in Florence, a conference in Cairo in December, and a meeting in Copenhagen.
Stop The War Coalition | ANSWER | ARROW | Iraq Journal | Musilm Association of Britain | Media Workers Against War | Bristol Stop The War Update 11th Jan | Respect Your Enemies-The First Rule of Peace: An Essay to the Peace Movement | U.S. Labor Against the War Launched | Protest Plans If War Starts | SchNEWS Latest Issue 17th Jan
