Manchester Anti-militarism

Anti-war greeting for Tweedle Brown

27-06-2007 13:12

Gordon Brown is facing an anti-war welcome during his first week in power, with little sign that he will break with Blair's disastrous foreign policy. A War Is Still the Issue camp was set up in Parliament Square from Saturday 23rd [ 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | Video ] (the fact that it was allowed may be a sign that SOCPA will be repealed? ... well, in fact probably not!). There was a demonstration outside Brown's Labour leadership coronation in Manchester on Saturday [ 1 | 2 | 3 ] and a Military Families Against War demonstration took place on his first day as Prime Minister on Wednesday [ Pics ] Later in the evening, a small group of activists braved the rain outside Blair's new Connaught Square home and made neighbours aware of their new resident [ Pics ].

Links: War is Still the issue | Voices in the Wilderness | Justice Not Vengeance | Stop the War Coalition | Military Families Against the War

Peace Camp Set to Defy Ban

19-09-2006 21:19

"We think it's because it's the Labour conference and they don't want us going and voicing our opinions" Rose Gentle, Military Families Against the War

"They have got every right to protest, and I think we will find they will protest. Whoever is responsible for this are idiots." Walter Wolfgang

A protest group is planning to defy a ban on setting up a peace camp in Albert Square imposed on them by Manchester City Council. Military Families Against the War - an organization of relatives to members of the Armed Services opposed to the war in Iraq - will be pitching camp outside the town hall in the run up to the Labour Party Conference. Come Saturday the camp will be joined by thousands of people protesting against the continuing military occupation of Iraq and British foreign policy in the Middle East.

The Council claim the ban is in place for 'logistical' and 'health and safety' reasons, a claim that is strongly disputed by MFAW, who say the council is merely doing the bidding of the Labour Party. A further claim that there were 'security issues' with the camp have been denied by GM Police.

The conference is set to meet a high level of dissent this September. Aside from the peace camp a march and rally has been called by the Stop the War Coalition on Saturday 23rd which will include an anarchist block. Also on the menu, welfare rights group, Coalition Against the Welfare Reform Bill, are planning a demonstration and lobby on Monday 25th in reaction to the punitive approach towards disabled welfare claimants outlined in the bill.

George Fox 6: Campus Activism at the Crossroads

22-09-2005 00:00

On Monday 26th September, the trial of the George Fox 6 commences at Lancaster Magistrates Court. Six student activists face charges in a three day trial arising out of an action that took place at Lancaster University in September 2004 where protestors had gone into the George Fox building at the university to hand out leaflets and talk to people at the "Corporate Venturing" Conference - a networking meeting for multinational corporations. Speakers at the conference were drawn from controversial arms manufacturer BAE Systems, Shell and other companies the six say have 'long histories of human rights abuses and environmental destruction'. Police attended and told the protestors they were doing nothing wrong, but some months later they received summonses through the post. The defendants are seeking support at the trial.

[ GF6 Support Group | Action at corporate conference | Call for support | Interview with defendant during trial lunch break - 1.2Mb ]

Caterkillar Taken by Surprise

20-04-2005 11:49

Irlam, April 8th. Workers arriving at the Caterpillar - Perkins site in Greater Manchester were surprised, first by a 30 foot yellow banner with an acrylic image of a Palestinian, head in hands, whose house is being demolished by a Cat bulldozer while an Israeli soldier stands guard.

The banner flew from a mound of grass along the private road to the security gate, the only entrance this morning. Management had hunkered down on red alert with police and dogs on site since 2 a.m. expecting an invasion under cover of darkness, for some reason.

Full Story | Caterkiller Blockaded in County Durham

Mass blockade at Menwith Hill US base, Friday March 19th

19-03-2004 13:00

On Friday March 19th Yorkshire CND held a mass non-violent blockade at the key US military base Menwith Hill, near Harrogate, Yorkshire, UK. They blocked 3 gates completely causing tailbacks for hours and massively disturbing the shift change-over. Menwith Hill felt compelled to issue a statement which is amazing since they never, ever speak to anyone.

"BLOCK THE BASE" started in freezing driving rain by 5am in the morning with protesters who had stayed in Leeds overnight blockading the base. Many protesters were met by police waiting for them. Yet they managed to block all four gates, many locking into place. Throughout the morning the protest was joined by more people.

The shift change, between 5.30 and 7.30, was a traffic jam. Police had moved pretty fast to try and clear two gates. Reports were they were pretty brutal with dangerous use of cutting equipment. Yorkshire CND said that despite liason some of the police behaved disgracefully and there were definite cases of extreme excessive force and violence. They want as much information and pictures as possible from anyone that was there to collect evidence. [more in article]. By 7am most of the protesters at gate one had been removed and were waiting wet and cold to be arrested. In all 30 people were arrested. Others gates were still blocked. Protesters were still arriving and demonstrating all around the base.

SeeTimeline of events
Reports and Photos: [ 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 ]

Bush Toppled by Peace Campaigners

18-11-2003 12:53

The state visit of George Bush has been greeted with an outbreak of anti-Bush sentiment in and around Greater Manchester.

On the 9th November an effigy of the US President was symbolically toppled from Stoodley Pike, a famous local hill top landmark and a monument to peace in Calderdale, West Yorkshire, creating a dramatic representation of the chasm existing between a just peace and George W Bush’s policy of war.

Chester held its own welcoming committee for the President un-elect, complete with a seven foot papier-mâché statue of Bush and a list of 20 indictments against the man. The two hundred person crowd cheered as the statue was toppled before Chester’s town hall at the end of the hour long protest.

In Manchester, as Bush was being entertained in Buckingham Palace, there were pickets of Esso Petrol stations, a lunchtime rally in the Peace gardens and more than 2,000 went on a teatime march.
Pictures[ 1 | 2 ]

Manchester road block, Nottingham march and Sheffield die-in in anti-war protest

19-03-2003 00:36

On Tuesday in Manchester, Hulme & Whalley Range residents blockaded Princess Parkway in opposition to the intended 'war' with Iraq. Princess Parkway, one of the main roads into Manchester city center was blockaded from 8:00am to 9:30am by anti-war activists erecting a tripod of poles in the middle of the road while one person hung down from the apex. Traffic quickly stacked back causing chaos. The blockade ended with four arrests and a lot of traffic congestion. [Report | Manchester Indymedia]. Later on the day, a peace vigil was held at Rochdale Town Hall.

Meanwhile, people marched and gathered at Chetwynd Barracks, Nottingham to protest against the imminent war. The Barracks are the Britsh Army centre of mobilisation of the reserves [Report].

On Monday, Sheffield activists staged a die-in outside the Sheffield Armed Forces Careers Office [Report | Pictures]