Peace Demo in Glasgow
anarchobabe | 20.10.2002 14:40 | Anti-militarism
Peace Demo in Glasgow
Peace Demo in Glasgow
Peace Demo in Glasgow
Peace Demo in Glasgow
Peace Demo in Glasgow
Peace Demo in Glasgow
The main theme and concern was to express the disgust about the continuing waging of bombing Iraq in present. Many different groups and also individuals were present from all corners of Scotland- from Berwick upon Tweed, to Newcastle, Dundee, Aberdeen, Forth, some trainloads from Edinburgh and of course lots from Glasgow. All age groups seemed to be present, too, lots of families with babys, older people, younger people, workers and students, and also many disabled, they all took on the streets today against all odds, like the starting flu-wave and the distraction of the anarchist bookfair in London. Ohhh I have got such a headache and keep this brief, I am sure everybody will be more up for stuff tomorrow.
It was a nice, sunny weather and a very relaxed and friendly atmosphere. (Apart from this hierarchical bossy person who was yelling at me, did not want to let me take pictures and chucking me twice from his bloody red bus, this here is to you, sliming around the professional photographer who throw like 99% in the bin, you really should get your priorities right, comrade!!!!!! You know, Trotsky did not fall from the moon, he had training. Apart from this I probably do not have to remind you of Kronstadt and the Machnowitska).
Anyway, I took some pics for you, as you can see.
Out of storage problems I left out the photographying of ritual burnings of the American and British flags as you can probably imagine what it looked like, and actually I have no clue who was under the carefully selected speakers at the rally afterwards and what they said, as I was busy meeting and chatting to people I haven't seen for quite a while, so that was good fun.
Shortly before this carefully tanned MSP of the SSP spoke the leading committeee discovered the switch for the loudspeakers at the back.
So, it was a good event and I am sure, other people can add their impression of the event at the comments.
anarchobabe
Comments
Hide the following 3 comments
More about Glasgow demo'
20.10.2002 16:02
The day started with four feeder marches from north, south, east and west Glasgow - some of which were over 1,000 people strong. The four marches then merged to march around the city centre through some of the busiest streets of Glasgow. As the march entered Queen street leading back into George Square it had to be halted for ten minutes whilst we waited for the back of the march to leave George Square - meaning that we completly stopped all traffic flowing for over an hour. In Queen Street we stopped the march again as it passed the main Army Recruitment Office and held a five minute symbolic sit-down protest to reflect what we would do in the event of an attack on Iraq.
So many people were on the march that we completly filled Queen Street and the end of the march tailed back well down Argyle Street.
Over 1,500 people in Scotland have signed the Pledge to take civil disobedience in the event of an attack on Iraq (the same as the Arrow pledge) and plans include a mass sit-down in the streets around George Square at midday on the first Saturday following an attack. We hope the sit-down on Saturday will show the polis what they may face if Blair is allowed to attack Iraq.
Over coming weeks the Pledge campaign will be used to try and mobilise for the Day of Action on the 31st with over 20 nonviolent direct action workshops organised across Scotland to form a network of local affinity groups who will be involed in anti war actions. Anyone wanting more details should contact the Scottish CND offices on 0141 423 1222.
With a background of organising the huge Big Blockades at Faslane (where over 1,000 people have been arrested over the last two years) Scottish CND is keen to pursue a strategy of campiagning which includes direct action as well as mass rallies, lobbying and more 'conventional' campaigning. In Scotland, CND was behind the formation of the Scottish Coalition for Justice Not War which has strived to create a truly broad-based movement against the war.
With the different political situation in Scotland (compared to England and Wales) what was exciting about the march and rally was the diversity mentioned in the article above and also for the first time in anti-war rallies there was a significant trade union and Labour Party input to the day reflecting a greater willingness amongst those groups to challenge their Party leadership.
Scottish COalition for Justice Not War - www.banthebomb.org
fillup
28 Sep was diverse too!
21.10.2002 14:31
Just one thing; the London demo was also unusually diverse and involved plenty of trade unionists. I know Scotland's been ahead of the curve on some issues, but the anti-war movement is huge everywhere!
ageing hack
summarising feature at
27.09.2003 18:45
revising the archive