This is from STWC (stop the war coalition) news bulletin from last year:

We are proposing to call a national day of action (NOTE: including direct action) around the country on February 15. This will be a chance for all groups to take some form of anti-war action in their communities/workplaces, and will include a major symbolic action in London.

On January 20, the date of President Bush's second-term inauguration, a protest will be held in London. Other groups may wish to consider doing something similar at a symbolically American site.

We will also be organising a series of rallies around the country. These may in some cases be co-ordinated with a symbolic march or motorcade coming down from Scotland as a focus for activity in the towns through which it passes.

Steps are also being taken to revitalise student and school student activism over the winter.

March 19 will probably be our last mass mobilisation before the general election, the last major event for the anti-war movement in the present parliamentary cycle. It is crucial that the date gets advertised as widely as possible as early as possible. Please help make this demonstration - which we are hoping will include some different features - worthy of the great movement of the last three years.

==================

There are two important additions to this...

Bush is still scheduled to visit the UK soon after his inauguration, although I have heard nothing of this since the news at the end of last year.

The March 19th 2005 date has been approved across europe during the European Social Forum in London October 2004 - see this extract from the call of the assembly of the social movements:

"To enable all the peoples of Europe to join this process, we must build a movement that overrides our differences and groups all the forces of the peoples of Europe ready to be involved in the struggle against European neo-liberalism. 20th March 2005 marks the second anniversary of the start of the war against Iraq. On 22 and 23 March the European Council meets in Brussels. We call for national mobilisations in all European countries. We call for a central demonstration in Brussels on 19 March against war, racism, and against a neo-liberal Europe, against privatisation, against the Bolkestein project and against the attacks on working time; for a Europe of rights and solidarity between the peoples. We call all the social movements and the European trade union movements to take to the streets on this day."

Thus the big date the anti-war movements as represented by the ESF delegations are working towards is March 19th

=====================

Currently the STWC website simply says:
Tuesday 15th February 2005
Anti-war Day of Action...

No point in going to a pointless SWP parade which will do nothing but boost the egos of people thinking that an A-B march plus listening to Benn, German, Livingstone et al will actually make an iota of difference to what's happening in Iraq, as it won't.

I'm sure that will bring capitalism and war to it's knees.

"I'm sure that will bring capitalism and war to it's knees."

If these marches made the slightst bit of difference to fighting the Establishment war machine the governement would have collapsed a year ago at the very least. However, this is not suprising considering the "Stop the War "Coaltition"" is dominated by the SWP, and as anyone at the debacle that was the ESF knows, the SWP is more than ready to work with the very establishment that you so dispise.

No more SWP parades designed to make people feel good while Iraqis continue to die for me...

BSB. So what do you propose to do whilst Iraqis die? "Stay in bed"?

There is fuck all I can really do. As I said, this march is not going to "stop the war" or do anything remotely positive for the Iraqi people. So really, I might as well stay at home.

I have my differences with the SWP ruling comittee (Lindsay German etc), but the STWC are explicitly calling say "We are proposing to call a national day of action (NOTE: including direct action)" - Sure, they called topling a paper mache statue of Bush direct action - but there's no mention of a march.

I don't doubt some people will read 'day of action' as 'walk from A-B, listen to some Castro-praising would-be dictators and go home', but we really should be getting organised for multiple public and covert actions. London is full of targets - MoD, Downing Street, major war profiteering corporations etc, and every town has at least an army recruitment centre if nothing else.

Talk to your friends, workmates and local activists, get an affinity group together and pick a target - theres plenty of options (including non-arrestable stuff for those who let this put them off, though arrest isn't really a big deal).

BSB you are not powerless, together we can change things.

The anti-war movement has had an impact all over the world, it certainly has made life difficult for Blair/Bush and encouraged the Iraqis who oppose the occupation.

Dont lie in bed, come along and join the actions.

... is none other than 'bullshitbuster' ... well known for [their] continual support of ... anything reactionary and in support of the status quo.

It wouldn't suprise me to find several of the queens shillings in [their] grubby little paws.

The ruling elite knows that the planned series of demos comming up will be big, loud & very probably tense[sic]! Of course they will use all the tricks of the trade to discourage and divert such energy.

... it is our DUTY to attend and be loud and tense[sic]!

I was just stating that I did not want to attend a poxy gathering of Trots on an A to B march. I still go by what I say, it's not going to change politicians' minds, nor is it going to lead to your precious revolution so I personally am not bothering. What other people do is up to them, it's their right to do this action if they want to, I'm just opting out as I don't think there is any point.

As for:

"The ruling elite knows that the planned series of demos comming up will be big, loud & very probably tense[sic]! Of course they will use all the tricks of the trade to discourage and divert such energy."

The SWP/so-called "Stop the War Coalition" is quite capable of "discouraging" any effective resistance by itself. Chances are is that it will go without a hitch like every other STW demo has done, apart from maybe the odd clash and subesquent arrest of a few hardcore anarchist types, at best. And the next day, it's business as usual for the warmongers in government...

Just that. I've heard a fair few people saying how they disapprove of 'A to B' marches, boring speeches etc. But is anyone organising an alternative? Personally I'd rather march than sit on my bum smirking.

Well yes - STWC are mostly a bunch of trots who in practise tend to work against anything effective happening ("let's stay in the pen and listen to George Galloway!"). On the other hand if STWC want to call a 'day of disobedience' (which is what it said in the email I got from them) then those of us who aren't too busy or jaded could take this literally and do something creative and unlawful. Of course this is not the best forum to discuss the latter....

Incidentally, if anyone is a fan of the National Lottery, (which is my favourite television programme!), it would be a good to go to see the show one weekend to get a break from all this political rubbish. BBC offer free tickets in advance to interested groups and individuals.