The 'Scotland says Don't Attack Iraq' demo in Glasgow yesterday was the biggest demonstration seen in Scotland for a very long time showing that the anti-war movement is growing despite everything.
The day started with four feeder marches from north, south, east and west Glasgow - some of which were over 1,000 people strong. The four marches then merged to march around the city centre through some of the busiest streets of Glasgow. As the march entered Queen street leading back into George Square it had to be halted for ten minutes whilst we waited for the back of the march to leave George Square - meaning that we completly stopped all traffic flowing for over an hour. In Queen Street we stopped the march again as it passed the main Army Recruitment Office and held a five minute symbolic sit-down protest to reflect what we would do in the event of an attack on Iraq.
So many people were on the march that we completly filled Queen Street and the end of the march tailed back well down Argyle Street.
Over 1,500 people in Scotland have signed the Pledge to take civil disobedience in the event of an attack on Iraq (the same as the Arrow pledge) and plans include a mass sit-down in the streets around George Square at midday on the first Saturday following an attack. We hope the sit-down on Saturday will show the polis what they may face if Blair is allowed to attack Iraq.

Over coming weeks the Pledge campaign will be used to try and mobilise for the Day of Action on the 31st with over 20 nonviolent direct action workshops organised across Scotland to form a network of local affinity groups who will be involed in anti war actions. Anyone wanting more details should contact the Scottish CND offices on 0141 423 1222.
With a background of organising the huge Big Blockades at Faslane (where over 1,000 people have been arrested over the last two years) Scottish CND is keen to pursue a strategy of campiagning which includes direct action as well as mass rallies, lobbying and more 'conventional' campaigning. In Scotland, CND was behind the formation of the Scottish Coalition for Justice Not War which has strived to create a truly broad-based movement against the war.
With the different political situation in Scotland (compared to England and Wales) what was exciting about the march and rally was the diversity mentioned in the article above and also for the first time in anti-war rallies there was a significant trade union and Labour Party input to the day reflecting a greater willingness amongst those groups to challenge their Party leadership.
Scottish COalition for Justice Not War - www.banthebomb.org

Thanks for good reports of a great day.

Just one thing; the London demo was also unusually diverse and involved plenty of trade unionists. I know Scotland's been ahead of the curve on some issues, but the anti-war movement is huge everywhere!

here:
 http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/regions/scotland/2002/10/105652.html