Twelve hundred activists and anti-capitalists met for a counter conference and demonstration in Brighton yesterday. They aimed to show solidarity with the protestors in Prague and offer an alternative to the corporate sponsored Labour party conference down the road. There were debates on globalisation, international debt, the media, the environment, refugees, and of course the IMF and World Bank. Some of the loudest cheers of the day were for Jose Villa a Bolivian activist talking about their victory against the privatisation off the country's water supply to a British company. Their campaign tactics included a general strike and blowing up the National Bank!

The conference was supported by a wide range of groups and speakers providing much debate. Speakers included Susan George, Rob Newman, George Monbiot, Paul Foot, Mark Thomas, Tony Benn, and Greg Pallast. Liz Davies leftwing member of the Labour Party NEC talked about the difference between the counter-conference, which sold out of tickets two weeks ago, and the Labour party conference where last year so few delegate turned up that by the last day seats were filled by people working for corporate sponsors like Nestle and Railtrack to give the impression of a full meeting room! Mark Thomas (comedian and activist) discussed with Paul Foot (campaigning journalist) on whether activists can use the mainstream media and Mark Thomas urged everyone to get involved with alternative media forms like Indymedia and Undercurrents. In the opening session on Globalistation and Resistance speakers debated how we take on the globalisation of capital, Lindsey German editor of Socialist Review (magazine of the Socialist Workers Party) analysed the potential for resistance, "The mood today reminds me of the 1960s. Millions around the world wanted to change things for the better, and there was a sense of optimism and hope that this could be achieved if enough people protested about it. Few who were involved in those movements then would have believed that 30 years later inequality would be far greater. Today should be a time of great optimism and hope as increasing numbers come together to challenge capital. But there also has to be an assessment of how we go forward. If we are to build a successful and permanent challenge to capitalism we need enthusiasm and commitment. We also need ideas, politics and organisation which can lead to the the revolutionary overthrow of the system to replace it with one which provides for people's need, not profit."

The activists then marched towards the Labour Party conference joined by hundreds of people who could not get tickets. Protestors waved placards demanding Labour restore the link between pensions and earnings, taxes the rich to fund public transport, and chanted shut down the IMF, and drop the debt. The peaceful demonstrators were met (and filmed) by well over 1000 heavily armed police from a far afield as Thames Valley, who became irate as people cheered the protestors from their housing estates and cars beeped their horns in support. A number of protestors then boarded coaches bound for Prague carrying the message shut down the Bank and our world is not for sale.

Groups backing the conference included the Africa Liberation Support Campaign, Bolivian Union Solidarity Campaign, Campaign against the Arms Trade, the Green Party, Jubilee 2000, London Socialist Alliance, Socialist Workers Party, UK Civil Rights Caravan, War on Want and many trade union branches.