Of course it was bigger than the figures that the Police gave; they estimated that a previous Anti-war demo of a far smaller scale had some 10'000 in attendence, and this was at least 7 or 8 times the size. Trafalgar Square was packed and the protest stretched from crowds in Hyde Park through to the rally there symultaneously. And yet the organisers appeal to the racist, capitalist and imperialist Labour government to intervene in Palestine! Disgusting, but the same line as the fake "left" and opposed by most of those I spoke to.

Nice to see there are people out who think the really radical thing to do is to abstain from and sneer at anything involving real workers.

This is ridiculous. During the rally, announcements were made that the Police had estimated 50,000 protestors and the BBC had estimated 100,000 protestors. Someone else told me they heard that last figure on radio or television later that day. Now the BBC seems to be saying that there were between 10,000-15,000 and that the organisers claim there were 30,000. How could they change their mind so bluntly?

The reason that it is so hard to judge the numbers on any demonstration is because people did not stay in Trafalgar Square until the end of the rally. It took one and a half hours for everyone to get into thev square yet many people left before the last demonstrators arrived. Most people did not stay for that long in the square. If they had they it would have been easy to judge form arial photo how many were in the square and thus how many had attended. I would estimate that 30,000 attended based on it taking one and a half hours for everyone to leave Hyde Park.

Contrary to what the contributor above says, I was at the demonstration and the key demands were for Israel to withdraw from Palestine, stop the massacres, for a boycott on Israel to put pressure on them. It's not unreasonable to demand the elected government does what you tell them, even if you don't realistically expect them to do it. Raising the demand is the first step to taking real action.

I'm fourteen years old, and I went to the demo to show what I think, it was fantastic to see so many people of so many cultures demonstrating and shouting for what they believe in. If everyone knew what was going on in Palestine, I mean what is REALLY going on, there would have been thousands more people. All this propaganda, for what? To stop people knowing the truth? To make them think what is happening is for the good? Its not fair to keep things hidden away, people should know what is going on; murder, slaughter and that the animals who are doing it are murderers and terrorists and should be stopped! The people who saw the banners and pictures on the placards now know what monsters these people are, they know that not everyone wants this to happen bacause of the numbers of people that were on the demo. And that is why I was proud to be a part of the thousands that were there! I am now going to take all the leaflets and pictures that were given to me to school on Monday and I am going to show more people what is really happening in Palestine, whether they are willing to do something about it, like demonstrate with me or not, that is up to them, but at least they will know, and have the choice to do something about it or not to!

thanks for posting Ceilidh,
and good luck on your mission...

I was at yesterdays demonstration (13/4/02) in London. No where near the front but reaching Trafalgar Square somewhere around 2.45pm. The march was still feeding into the square at 5pm, though the square and the roads surrounding the square were absolutely teeming and full up. That such a gavering was under (or non)reported in the national media yesterday and in todays Sunday papers tells us more about the conspiracy of silence that exists in the "freedom loving democracy".
All due respect to those that attended, the marchers were passionate, noisy, funny, poignant. I believe in no ones god but was proud to be amongst many british Muslims who were there with many other religious and non religious demonstrators with one unified aim - to let the voice of those present offer support and solidarity in a small way to those suffering oppression in Palestine. I am proud to have been there.

Complain to the BBC online at  newsonline@bbc.co.uk
I agree that the BBC changed figures after being given a scaled down figure by the police. BBC online reported admitted that organisers said larger numbers than the police estimate attended but still used a figure of 10-15,000 in a caption beneath a picture of the story of the demo.

Having attended the demo and all the previous anti-war demos except 6 april (out of the country), I can't remember a demo that still had people streaming out of Hyde Park while the head of the demo turned into Piccadilly. Absolutely amazing. I didn't march with any particular banner but preferred to wander talkng to as many people as possible. Great atmosphere. I congratulate everyone who made the effort to get to the demo from the north and elsewhere in Britain and overseas. It was the nearest thing that I have experienced to Genoa since marching at the trade union demo in Genoa. The atmosphere was better than Brussels. I wasn't in Barcelona.

I emailed BBConline to complain about the figure after reading their story and I urge everyone else to do the same.

Cheers Gary Jarvis

Don't just email them. Go there! There is a picket outside the BBC at Bush House Thursday 18th from 5.30pm to protest it's coverage of Palestine.

I hope that this protest sends out a clear message to all the Palestinians being persecuted and murdered, in Jenin, Ramallah, Bethlehem and all the cities of Palestine- people in Britain are one hundred per cent behind you and your cause. This protest in itself may not change anything, but more protests like this will lead to a change. If citizens of Europe, the USA and the Middle East persuade their politicians to put pressure on Israel to end its apartheid against the Palestinians, then soon it will become politically impossible for these politicians to support a racist, terrorist state like Israel. Without funding from its current sponsors, Israel will fall into the water and the Palestinians will be free.

Protests like these are one way the people of Britain can bypass the corporate media who gag our views. The media has failed to report the terror being inflicted on Palestinians. They have been unimaginative and reliant on biased government sources, turning the oppressed into terrorists, and turning imperialists into democrats. This protest let the world know what people really think about the terror in the Middle East.

To all the Palestinians- people in Britain and across the world will protest, demonstrate and agitate until your just cause triumphs. If our protests do not succeed, then will we come over to Palestine in our thousands to help you...

I live in amsterdam, The Netherlands. We also had a demonstration against the voilence in Palestina. I want to
thank you all in the whole world, who enjoyed the demonstrations and ask allah to give us all SABR! inshallah!!!

Dear people,

I want to congratulate you with this big demonstration!
Saturday 13 April there were big demonstrations in London, Amsterdam, Berlin and many other places. Our voices will be heard!

Jan Moerings

(In the Netherlands we have had the same problem with the media as in London. There were 30.000 people demonstrating in Amsterdam. The 'regular' media is talking about 10.000 and only focuses on some incidents that happened at the end of the demonstration, not on the clear message that we gave that day)

 http://www.indymedia.nl/2002/04/3250.shtml

 http://www.indymedia.nl/2002/04/3219.shtml

 http://photoart.xs4all.nl/Local43/StoptheWar.htm

Proposals for Action Towards
A Global Campaign Against Israel's Brand of Apartheid

(E/26/2002)

BADIL Resource Center
10 April 2002
For Immediate Release


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In light of the unprecedented Israeli military campaign against the Palestinian people and based on the impressive and worldwide expression of solidarity with the Palestinian struggle for justice and peace, BADIL would like to present to the global solidarity movement a number of initiatives which we consider cornerstones for the future global campaign against Israel's brand of apartheid. BADIL encourages peace and justice activists worldwide to join these and similar initiatives in order to build a broad and sustainable movement, similar to the boycott movement that finally removed the repressive apartheid regime in South Africa.

CONSUMER BOYCOTT CAMPAIGN:

Boycott Israeli goods and services, including tourism to Israel; advocate and lobby for divestment of foreign funds in Israeli state and private companies and the suspension of military, economic, and cultural cooperation
agreements and aid, until Israel will end its occupation of all areas occupied in 1967 and implement international law, all relevant UN resolutions, and respect human rights, including the right of return of Palestinian refugees.

Contact:

"Boycott Israeli Goods Campaign"
 Info@BoycottIsraeliGoods.org
 http://www.boycottisraeligoods.org/

This excellent website includes relevant information in several languages, as well as links to other boycott initiatives worldwide.

ISRAEL BOYCOTT IN ACADEMIA AND RESEARCH:

Academics and researchers in the United States have launched a campaign aimed at obtaining maximum endorsement among academics in the United States of a letter calling for a boycott of research and cultural links with Israel, until Israel abides by all relevant UN resolutions (UNGA 194, UNSC 242, 338, 1402 etc.); complies with human rights as stated in the Universal Declaration on Human Rights and the Fourth Geneva Conventions to which Israel is a signatory; and, opens serious peace negotiations with the Palestinians, along the lines proposed in many peace plans, most recently that sponsored by the Arab League. A similar letter endorsed by more than 120 academics and researchers in Europe was published in the British Guardian on Friday, 6 April 2002.

For further information contact:

 zdamuni@comcast.net
 boycotts@teacher.com Endorsements (including name and academic affiliation)

CAMPAIGN "INDICT SHARON NOW":

On 15 May the Belgian court hearing the case of the war crimes suit against Israel's prime minister Ariel Sharon is expected to give a ruling which will be crucial for the further progress of the case. The suit was filed by Palestinian and Lebanese survivors of the 1982 massacre of Sabra and Shatila, Beirut. An earlier official Israeli commission of inquiry found that then Minister of Defense, Ariel Sharon, held "personal responsibility" for the massacre but no legal charges followed.

Educate and disseminate information about Ariel Sharon's role in Israel's massacres committed against the Palestinian people in the past and at present;
Organize, facilitate and participate in fact finding missions aimed at examining possible war crimes committed by the Israeli army in the context of the current military campaign against the Palestinian people in the occupied West Bank, especially in Nablus and the Jenin refugee camp;
Advocate and lobby for an end to the impunity of persons accused of war crimes, including Ariel Sharon.
For more information and resources, see:

International Committee for Justice for the Victims of Sabra and Shatila: Contact:  coordinator@indictsharon.net;  http://www.indictsharon.net/;
Sabra and Shatila Committee, Belgium:  http://www.sabra-shatila.be/
Mallat Law Firm (a member of the plaintiff's legal team):  http://www.mallat.com/
Petition for International Investigation Committee on Ariel Sharon's crimes against humanity addressed to UN High Commissioner on Human Rights, Mary Robinson. The petition requires 1 million signatures to become effective:  http://www.PetitionOnline.com/warcrime/petition.html

JOIN THE INTERNATIONAL SOLIDARITY MOVEMENT (ISM) and GRASS-ROOTS INTERNATIONAL PROTECTION (GIPP) IN PALESTINE:

Many peace activists have expressed their willingness to join ISM and GISS in Palestine in the coming weeks, and everybody in needed in order to:

Provide protection to Palestinian civilians by staying with families in refugee camps, villages, and towns;
Accompany ambulances;
Send food and aid to families in need;
Join non-violent protests;
Help document the facts on the ground with cameras, video or by writing reports; and disseminate information widely.
Orientation and low-cost accommodation in Jerusalem will be organized

Contact:

 Pcr@p-ol.com and send copy to:  georgesq@yahoo.com
Hanna Rishmawi (GIPP): 00972-52-437513; Bahiyya (GIPP): 00972-55-378262; George S. Rishmawi: 00972-52-502079; Ghassan Andoni: 00972-52-595319; Sabeel Centre (Cathy): 00972-2-5327136




press release index

I am israeli reserve soldier i would like to say one thing to the palastinian people.
Think for a moment what would have happened if arafat would have excepted the former prime minister barak proposel ok it was not excactly what u all wanted but maybe just maybe all this bloodshed on both sides could have been spared and maybe i would have been called up now to the army in the west bank not to fight terrorists but to evacuate israeli settlers in order to establish a palastine state.
however having said that i do not expect to get any positive responce after all i am addressing people who think that someone who ties explosives to his or her body and blows up him/herself up along with inocent civillians is a saint.And just one last thing what u called massacures i saw with my own eyes as your fellow countrymen using your own palastinian flesh and blood brothers as human explosive shields in order to create a catastrophe for which israel would obviously be blamed for around the world.

salaam everyone,
many of the muslim scholars from both schools of thought have declared that it is a religious obligation upon muslims to boycott american and israeli goods. not only is it a sin to support the masonic enemy, but they are also saying that it is a "kabeera" meaning it is a major sin. For the non-muslims, ur dignity and concience should stop u from supporting israel and america by boosting their economy by buying products affiliated to the zionist entity
companies can b found on:  http://www.inminds.com/boycott-israel.html

thank you,
jazakumAllah,
ali.r

Leave the Palestinian land that you occupy. Oh yes, we all know about the Generous offers of Barak ( http://www.gush-shalom.org/generous/generous.html), a complete lie to fool the American's in to supporting your murderous IDF in killing the Palestinians. It's okay for you to deride the Palestinian brave men, women and children for their selfless acts of bravery in sacrificing their lives for their cause whilst you sit comfortably in American supplied Apaches and F-16s aiming your misslies at their head. You cowards complain about Iran arming the unarmed Palestinians whilst openly gloating about your indestructible Merkva tanks and nukes, some supplied free by USA and others stolen of course by spies like Jonathan Pollard.

Your genocidal cowardice is not even match for the Nazis. At least they did not use missiles against civilians. You genocidal cowards have stolen Palestinian land and continue to steal in the guise of democracy and fighting terorrism, yet you and your spponsor is the biggest terorrist in the world. The world court says so. I hope this racist, supramacist pit of a state, called Israel gets its due soon.

People are fed up with your cry of anti-semitism, used to shutup and intimidate the poor Goyims who criticise your policy of ethnic cleansing and genocide. What democratic society treats one part of it's citizen (Arab)inferior to the chosen people- the Jews. Remember the 13 unarm,ed Arabs who were shot by IDF and got away with it scott free. The attackers of Rodney King were prosecuted but of course they wernet from amongst the "chosen people". You are above all law, man's and God's.

You have hidden long enough behind the false veil of democracy and holocaust guilt, which you have played to the full to exhauston. Remeber Germany was a democracy and they voted Hitler in, democratically. People now really are seeing you for what you are. Nothing but greedy, gold digging hoarders and genocidal maniacs who shoot at peace activists, journalists, aid workers, torture kids, imprison people without trial and of course, disregard International and humanatrian law.

Of course it's never your fault being the "Chosen people" you are never at fault. God is bound by his convenant to the "Chosen people" to absolve you of all guilt, even genocide in places like Jenin and Deir Yassin.

And of course you are civilised unlike the Palestinians, who are, according to you are vermin and lice. And of course you are fighting for your survival against the stone throwers, out to destroy your nuclear armed state. Far fetched. Like the claim of beng "Chosen People" and Barak's offer, both are urban myths created by the Zionist propaganda machine.

History holds you and your sponsors responsible for the genocide. No doubt as the "chosen pople" you must appreaciate that God is ALL seeing and ALL knowing and he is the ultimate Judge.

Here we go again.

I understand the anger against Israel being expressed here, but let's be clear! The Palestinian struggle (and our solidarity with them) is against occupation by the state of Israel, armed and backed by the US and UK. It is NOT against Jewish people.

References to the holocaust and dark threats of revenge on "the chosen people" is the language of the far right, not of the anti-war movement. It's the flip side of extreme Zionism; both seige mentalities, both built on hatred and a tangible enthusiasm for war and massacre.

Our movement rejects these nationalist fantasies. We believe that people can live in peace regardless of race or religion. We reject all racism and imperialism. We oppose war and state oppression. We are in solidarity with the Palestinians but we will not give in to hating Jewish people or even Zionists. When we say we want peace and justice, we truly mean it. For everyone.

Hey all: great to hear about the wonderous actions taking place in London. We've had demos and actions here too. Last week there was about 500-600 outside the State Library. This week there were about 300, but the action was only called very breifly. The mood was good: angry, impassioned, determined. I spoke on behalf of the Refugee Action Collective here in Victoria  http://www.rac-vic.org/ and pointed out that the Palestinians make up the largest refugee population in the world, a crisis caused by the British and United States (yes it's the first worlds agggainnn!) when they set up the Zionist anti-Arab state in 1947.

There are over 3000 refugees in detention, many of whom (it's hard to get official statistics from the government and Australian Correctional Management - the arseholes who privately run the centres) are Palestinian. We are not forgetting them.

La Lutta Continua! We must agitate, organise and educate to the best of our ability. A comrade once said that revolutionaries must become the best administrators, educators, tacticians and stategists if we are to win the biggest battle of all. Let us win Palestinian freedom and other third worlds will follow. Venezuala has already won a major tactical battle.

We are now focusing on the International Aug 19 demo. Lets give the World Bank, Dick Cheney, Blair and Howard are real kick up the bum and show them what the anti-capitalist movement can do when we really flex our muscles. Hahha! We'll have em!

Yours in struggle,
Rachel Evans

Hello BraveNewWorld,

Let's examine Islam shall we? It's a Warlike religion...how so? Well... East Timor, Indonesia ( arent those Liberation Tigers a friendly bunch of chaps ? ) . Also lets not forget the Philpines ( abu sayaff anyone? those swell kids lop off the heads of tourists and other non muslims ( tourist or locals ). Hey..what about Checneya *spelling?* ...those wacky mohamadeans are at it again. Raping , bbing and killing all in the name of Allah. Talking about Mohammed...wasnt he illiterate and took a wife who was around 14 yrs old? Cool...he's dumb as dirt and a pedophile to boot. Hey lil girl want a ride on my camel? I'd love to see the world not dependant on middle east oil...then we can watch those "people" wage war upon themselves. Wage war u say? The peace loving people of the koran? Oh...iran vs iraq...7 + yrs of war..using kids to clean mind fields by walking throu them and then having tanks run over thier decimated bodies. Or saddam going after those northern kurds and the sunnis down south. But wait theres more...the gulf war. If you act now u coulda had a 8 plus civil ( HAH! ) war in lebanon. Or maybe you'd care for some islamic brotherHOODS in egypt who kill tourists. Well enough for now. Allahs snackbar ....open 8 to 5.

I just know I'm taking the bait from a troll here, but..

This sort of racist anti-Arab crap is just as offensive and stupid as the racist anti-Jewish crap I ranted about earlier.

Give it up! Most if not all activists in the anti-war / anti-capitalist movement are way too smart to fall for racism or to confuse states with people. We want justice and peace for everyone.

How does it feel demonstrating with antisemitics and anti-feminists like Hamas and Djihad?

I was at the Demo, it was predominantly peacfull and a good show of unity.. However, I felt that by saying Allah o Akbar and certain chants we were excluding the majority of the country. We have to show what we are marching for is about right over wrong and is a human cause, that should appeak to everyone irrespective of race or religion.

Soryia