On a day of searing heat, peace campaigners assemble in London to begin a five day peace walk from London to Colchester to continue to oppose the war in Afghanistan and to bring attention to the detention of Joe Glenton, currently serving a military sentence for refusing to serve in Afghanistan.

The walk begins outside the British MOD (Ministry of Defence) building in Whitehall Place and makes its way to Ilford to complete its first day.

The walk passes through the East End of London where leaflets are given out and members of the public are directly engaged with the cause of peace.

Throughout the first leg, no meaningful support for the continuing war is detected among the ordinary public and broad support for the walkers is given from those walking along the streets and driving in traffic.

In the early afternoon, the walkers pass through the Whitechapel area of London, an area with a heavy muslim quarter who are currently being targeted by state sponsored white loyalist groups who have been attempting to raise local conflict in order to consolidate the war nationally.

As a result, the area is now generally anti-war in sentiment.

The walk reveals a level of public support for the drawing down of the Afghanistan war that fits poorly with recent statements by the new British coalition Government PM David Cameron who, in recent days, has attempted to infer that British forces will remain in Afghanistan for the lifetime of this Parliament, suggesting that the current coalition Government is unlikely to survive its full term.

London, UK. 27/06/2010.