The sun shone down on a sea of peaceful, happy protesters on Saturday as 100,000 people came to Glasgow to make their voices heard outside the SECC. A family day out with a difference, children dodged around wheelchairs and banners, and cashmere scarves mingled with keffiyas as the "NO WAR" chant echoed around, and hopefully inside the Labour Party's conference venue. The spontaneous chanting culminated in an almost primal scream and wall of noise the sound of the disempowered finding a voice?

For many of those attending, it was the first time they had considered protesting. "I felt it was finally time to stand up and be counted", said a man with his young son. "I'm really impressed," said another, "it's got such a peaceful vibe". The sense of purpose "I just don't think war is the answer", was unanimous, but the level of optimism varied hugely. "Of course it will work," said a man who looked suspiciously like a hippy. "If it doesn't, then other action will". "I think it probably won't have any effect at all", said a student, "but it makes me feel less impotent to be here."

Getting there was one of the biggest problems. With around 600 people stuck at Waverly station in Edinburgh, and delays on trains and buses coming from the Highlands, plenty of people were wondering whether there was some kind of conspiracy to stop the protesters.

There were also some rather bemused onlookers. Tim, an be-suited American Democrat attending the conference said he was impressed, but that "the best reason to go to war is because Tony Blair believes it's the right thing to do." Saturday proved that that is not reason enough.