The Anti-War demo was concerned with the illegal assault on Islam, in Chechnya, Afghanistan, Iraq and Palestine, I'd say that gave the British Muslim Association more right to be there, and heard, than your distinct democratic/secular contingent.

Did you know?

Non-Jewish Israelis can not buy or lease land in Israel.

Cars owned by Palestinians are colour-coded to distiguish them from Jews.

Palestinians need a visa from Israelis to move between cities.

Palestinians, Christian or Muslim, are denied access to their Holy Sites routinely.

In Hebron 85% of water supplies are given to 400 settlers and 15% must be shared amongst 120,000 Palestinians.

The US awards Israel $5 billion in aid each year which exceeds their grants to the whole African continent.

UK trade with Israel increased by 20% in 2001.

Israel is the only Middle Eastern country with nuclear weapons and it's the only country which also bars UN inspectors.

Israel sends assassins into foreign countries to kill political enemies.

Israel executes Palestinian prisoners of war in violation of the Geneva Convention.

Israel stands in defiance of over 80 UN Security Council resolutions.

Palestinian refugees make up the largest portion of the refugee population in the World.

Well, no, everyone who is against a war in Iraq deserves to be heard, and people who are uncomfortable with a religious presence on a march have every right to organise their own bloc and advertise it. Nothing wrong with that...

Matt

Personally felt it was a shame that the issue of Palestine, tragic & shocking tho it is, got confused with the fact that our government is itself about to attack an innocent country. Have nothing against religious organisations per se but also felt it was fairly odd to have the Muslim Association headlining the march, without a similar, Jewish body to sit beside it. The more diverse & inclusive the better, I reckon.

The more diverse and inclusive.. totally agree but no Jewish religous organisation came forward to headline the march alongside the Muslim Association. Stop the War did not 'ask' the Muslim Association, the march was the work of the Muslim Association as well as Stop the War with its various organising groups - CND, PSC etc, apologies if I do not mention everyone by name) If a Jewish religous organisation who oppose the actions that have led to Palestine becoming the running sore of the Middle East, wishes to be involved in organising the next demo they are welcome. Its a coalition.
In addition, Palestine is not a confusion apart from Iraq. Bush intends to bomb Iraq on the pretext that Iraq has not complied with UN resolutions over weapons of mass destruction. Who is the biggest breaker of UN resolutions in the world? Hummmmm..... Israel?
Palestine is a glaring example of absolute injustice from the Western world to the Muslim world. In refugee camps, in landlocked villages with checkpoints everywhere, with seriously restricted access to water, to education, to health care, Palestinians do not even have passports with Palestine in the passport.
What does this mean? It means that Palestine is not recognised as a country. That the words of the west with resolutions that are never enforced against Israel are hollow words.
The point is that Bush and Blair KNOW that the issue of Palestine is irrevocably linked with Iraq. They push the myth that terror is Islam. Not that the push for oil is terror. Palestine and Iraq are linked, until the running sore of Palestine is cleaned by justice, the pain and anger will continue and, sadly for us all - because Palestine is not just linked to Iraq but to all of us everywhere - there will never be peace.