h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Just to say that I went to CND's demonstration at Whitehall yesterday, with Purple Jenny, wearing black.

CND said there were 4,000 people there. Being a compulsive counter at rock concerts, I thought there were more than that - maybe 5,000-6,000; but am happy to take CND's numbers.

It was quiet, peaceful, dignified, no shouting, no chanting, no aggro, and I felt pleased to have been a part of it.

There is a photograph on the front of the Independent today, and nothing that I can see in the Sunday Times. So no-one is dissenting at all.

So that's all right then.

There will be a march in London on the 13th October, which is a Saturday. I urge peaceful minded Brits to be there.

a peacenik called Ben

Thanks Ben.
Does anyone know of anything further north?

Take a look at the CND site - and I am sure there are other groups, too. I went to London by bus, it cost me £13 return, which I thought wasn't bad.

B

Hi Ben,

Good to see you at Whitehall. The news last night reported vigils of around 1,000 people in both Glasgow and Manchester. As I've mentioned on the People for Peace thread, ZMag [URL Removed by Moderator] sent out an e-mail reporting a large number of peace marches across the US.

Saw a brief snatch of a Dimbleby-fronted discussion programme at lunchtime. I was interested to see the audience almost universally criticising the line that Bush and Blair seem set upon, whilst a panel including Peter Mandelson and Jerry Rubin (formerly Clinton's right hand man) agreed with one another whole-heartedly about the need to act (violently) to "defend freedom". Couldn't take very much of it, so went off to violently defend the freedom of the front garden from weeds.

Ironically, it appears that freedoms will be amongst the early casualties of the war - the talk of ID cards seems to be gaining in volume.

MH.

Unfortunately i missed the protest on saturday, does anyone know anything about possible protests this week?

I've heard there may be a protest outside downing street 6pm this tuesday and one in traf. Square on thursday. I think these are ongoing vigils that will be occuring every week. DOes anyone know about these or other protests??
vic

Arrow have arranged a vigil every Tuesday at 6.00pm opposite Downing Street. It is initiated by Arrow (Active Resistance to the Roots of War) and supported by CND and Globalise Resistance.

On Sunday 30th there is a National March at 2.00pm; The Level, Brighton. "Bring banners and placards to protest outside the Labour Party Conference. Please wear black armbands and form an anti-war bloc in the Globalised Resistance march. Called by Arrow."

On Saturday 13th October CND are organising a March between Hyde Park and Trafalgar Square. More from their site. cnduk, etc.

Arrow have set up an email list "for people trying to prevent (or, if necessary, limit) US/UK militariy rtaliation for the atrocities: [email protected].

Thats all I picked up off a leaflet on Saturday.

a peacenik called Ben

Cheers, Ben - good info to have on the forum.

MH

A leaflet outside my house reads that every thursday there will be a vigil for peace 6pm-7pm at St martins in the field. Traf. Square. I will go and check it again to see if i can get any further information.

Sorry, forgot to metion (in case anyone didn't know) that that is in London

I have organised two rallies for peace at my school so far. From now we have them scheduled every Friday morning.

We've used signs, songs, fliers, and extemporaneous speaking of the Baptist preacher style.

We appear to be reaching out. We've gotten some limited local media coverage (a few paragraphs in the San Antonio Express-News).

--Cooper
(fearing Carnivore)

Nice work fella.

There was a protest outside Parliament in London today.

Another protest on the 18th in London I hear...

There is a National Anti-war
demo in London on Sunday 18th
of November (a couple of weeks away)
It is assembling at 12 noon in
Hyde park which is in central London.
It has been called by Stop the War
coalition and is supported by CND
(among others) It should (bar really
really bad weather) be absolutely massive
and hopefully should force the press
to acknowledge the anti-war movement.
If you want to get more information
on this email:[email protected]
or Phone:07951 235 915
alternatively if you live in or around
Sheffield then Email:[email protected]
Or me at [email protected]

The Bombing hasn't stopped. The situation is getting worse. The global machinery speeds faster and faster (China in the WTO?!? - now theres a cunning plan to lower wages globally... Recession in the US? Buy guns! Buy Gold! Buy gold guns and a gasmask and a bunker and hunker down as the world descends into hate and fear and a never-ending war... Envronmental sustainability? Naahh forget all about that while pounding the mountains with explosives... Boom Bang Yeah, aren't we distracted and afraid...

Please if you can attend the protest in London. Find out whats happening near you if you can't make it. To fight war, not wars we need a broad coalition of people prepared to say No. Peace and Justice instead of War and Terror.

Details of the protest are at the stopwar organisation's website.

If you can make it London next Sun, let me know. I'd be happy to meet you there...

lots of love,

peace



pj

xxx

Aha! I shall do my best to make that one.

Tens of thousands gathered in Hyde Park, at noon today.The atmosphere was freindly, buzzing, positive. Most of us seemed amazed by the sheer number of people there. The topdeck of the 73 bus that got me there was half full of people for the protest, carrying banners and chatting excitedly.

In Hyde Park there were some speakers on soapboxes, lots of leafletting and canvassing, a salsa band (a group I recognised from the Pink and Silver anti-arms brigade of the Sep11 Disarm DSEI festival) and a solar powered sound system.

There was a girl in a silver wig, standing in enormous flares on enormous stilts. There were people dressed as fairies and bunnies. There were individuals, refugee support groups, CND, the Green Party, Unions and labour groups, groups of friends, hungover party people, little old ladies, babies, all ages and races. There was a semi-naked man with HUMAN written on his chest.

At about oneish the march began, and we slowly proceded from Marble Arch down Park Lane, round Hyde Park Corner, along Piccadilly and eventually to Trafalgar Square. All along the march there was music and dancing and flags and placards and chatting. 1234, we don't want
your racist war. Not In My Name. Fight Imperialism, Peace and Justice for All. Muslims are not guilty. Blood is worth more than Oil.

I caught up with A Girl Called Ben in Trafalgar Square. There were many fine speakers adressing the huge crowd. George Mobiot, Joh Pilger, George Galloway and Tarik Ali spoke with passion about globalisation, the 'new' 'new' world order, Washington power games, the way they try to control the world's resources and politics. And how the 'War on Terrorism' is rapidly revealing itself as the excuse for broadening military intervention and curtailing liberty in the name of freedom.

A young woman from the Scottish StopWar Coalition stole the stage for me. The platform host had announced that there were 100 000 protesters, and that two hours after the march began there were still hoards of people streaming into the square. Then he introduced
this girl to the stage, who was apparabtly unaccustomed to public speaking. This young woman from the Edinburgh Stop War Alliance is an Afghan girl who spoke of peace and freedom and justice for her country, stable democracy and an end to imperialism and battling over gas and oil. She was impassioned, informed and energetic. If anyone recalls her name please let me know.

The police said there were 15000 there, and the media happily spout that *clearly made-up* number, meanwhile the triumphalist coverage of the war continues, and planners in Washington line up the next one in thier sights - Somalia, Iraq, whereever...

There were definatley more than 15000 people for peace there. The reported figure invented by the PTB is simply designed to demoralise. The march was very well attended, and was about viewing the matter through an alternative framework, of Peace and Justice for all, not state terror vs terrorism and a cycle of violence.

The 'collatoral damage of war' really means killing for money and power. The reason the US won't support a trial of Bin Ladin in an international court of law is that that same court of law would try Henry Kissinger. As John Pilger said, theres a lot of people here sick of double standards.

Later it got colder and the sky darkened. "If you are getting cold, hug the person next to you" came from the platform. Muslims broke thier ramadam fast, and dates and water passed round the crowd. The lights came on in the square, the lightbulbs flashed, and the call to prayer rang thru the square as the pigeons flew by.



If the war is going to be a lengthy international war against terrorism, and terrorism is defined as anyone who disagrees with the US, then there will be a commited international campaign against that war.

Not In My Name

purplejenny

agcB

The March was fantastic
15 thousend is a joke!!!!!!!!
I was on the last one which
was a lest 30 thousend (CND reconed
50) and this march was clearly
bigger.
I wonder if the police might not
whant to lurn how to count before
spouting out there hugely biased
and rediculessly wroung figgers!
We took a coach load down from
sheffield Uni and 11 coachs in tottal
from sheffield so I know there
are people around that care enough
to make an efort to apose the war
I just hope that this momentum can
be maintained agaisnt the huge
properganda effort of the estabishment
press!

For any one who is interested in the
internation fight agaist capitilism
and imperialist war:
There is a demonstration at the EU
summit on thursday and Friday this week
If you whant glabal justise and peace
you should try realy hard to go, every person
makes a difference.
I am going on a coach from sheffeild tomorow
at 10pm there are still some places if any one
is interested.
There are allso coachs from London.
Try your hardest to make it, I know this
is a last minite anouncement but This
could change your life or at lest your out look !
Contact Globalise resistance for details
02089803005
or email
[email protected]
or look on there web site
Im not allowed to put a link here
but from the email address Im sure
you can figger it out.