Over 1000 people marched peacefully through Brighton today against the seemingly inevitable war with Iraq, and to express support for the Palistinian people. There was also much support for the firefighters, the Government's arguement 'where will the money for a pay rise come from?' being emphatically answered by the protesters chanting slogans such as 'we don't want your war no way/give the firefighters fair pay'. The police did not allow the march to pass through the central shopping area, but the shear volume of people resulted in traffic deadlock in the city centre. There are no reports of arrests or violence, but apparantly the organisers were threatened with prison if the march caused any disruption beyond the police plans.

The police also made clear that blocking traffic would be treated as 'violent disorder' - which to some extent explains the beating of passive protesters at the demo on the 31st Oct (There is video of this on Indymedia somewhere).

There was a larger turnout for this march, which seems to support the assertion that the anti-war movement is growing, even before it officially begins.

Pictures will be posted in the next few days . . .

Peace