Anti-War movements kicks off.

One week on from the so-called terrorist attacks in the US, the UK anti-war movement kicked-off with a day of vigil and protest.

The day began outside the Houses of Parliment where a small group of activists from the newly formed PAW (Peace and Anti-War) collective gathered at 2pm with banners reading; "Iraq - New York - Palesitne...? All Mass Murder", "Food Not Bombs" and, simply, "No War".

Police presence was, predictably, heavy with EIGHT riot vans placed in front of the banners and therefore blocking peoples' view.
Activists responded to this act of political repression by crossing the road from Parliment Square to the House itself, which was met with violence from the state, as the police began to assault one comrade and usher the rest back across the road. Then, following brief discussion, the cops agreed to move their vans.....then there were four.....then there were two.....

So as the rain came down, leaflets were handed out reading:
"Why we are here: we gather taoday -one week on from the terrible events in the US- in solidarity with those, ourselves included, who live in fear of NUTTERS like BUSH and BLAIR and to fully oppose any further acts of violence. We as humanitarians cannot deny that the deaths in the US were disgusting and pointless, but we must resist any acts of retalliation that can only result in more bloodshed and suffering. We urge you to join us in condemning all violence and help us to create the peaceful world we all want to live in."
and...
"Western Hypocrisy: Loss of life on such a scale is not new and has largely been spomsored by the US and other Western nations: in Hiroshima, Vietnam, East Timor, Iraq, Ruwanda and the Balkans we have seen the loss of millions upon millions of innocent lives in the most horrific circumstances imaginable, yet the Western media either ignored or acted with glee at the acts of state sponsored terrorism, kept realities from the public and propagated the Humanitarian Intervention Myth!"

The response from the public was, as to be expected, mixed and at times volatile, though on the whole extremely positive.
On one occassion an irate American woman began screaming at activists and proclaiming how she hoped their families died horrible deaths. She was unable to be reasoned with and finally left, still screaming about killing our families. This, is, of course, an emotive issue and one that brings many to the boil, though, counter-acting the views of the angry lady, was one of thanks for us being out in the rain, when an American couple agreed with our stance.

Activists remained at Parliment until around 6pm when they left for Downing st to join an ever growing crowd for another vigil. Around 3/400 people attended in all. Some made speeches, waved flags, meditated, shouted...

The cops, taken by surprise at the numbers, hastily constucted a pig pen for people to go into, and although most did, this was resisted by some who refused to be treated like animals and instead wandered around it, leafleting and talking to the public.

At 11pm there were still people down Whitehall with candles, and this opposition can only grow into what will be an effective movement against the inevitable massacres about to be carried out by our psychopathic leaders.

Love and Rage...