Edinburgh anti-war protesters stormed the castle and blocked the main street
school_students_hooray | 17.03.2003 16:20 | Anti-militarism | Education
Edinburgh anti-war protesters stormed the Castle today and blocked the entrance, later leaving to block the main street with a sit-in protest.
School students went on strike and joined in the protest against the War against Iraq.
School students went on strike and joined in the protest against the War against Iraq.
There were a group of 200 people at the Castle, including school students, who went on strike walking out of their classes from at least three schools.
The Striking schools included Firrhill school, Boroughmuir School, James Gillespies School and others.
The Crowd marched up to the castle, from parliament square, and, at the start of the esplanade, the officials tried to block us, but people pushed past the officials with the magic carpet and then people moved towards the drawer bridge, and there were officials blocking the way, people forcing the way past them into the castle, again with the aid of magic carpet.
Police formed a line, people charged into the police line and broke through and got into the castle, there were a lot of islands of officials, a 14 year old girl had her head banged against the wall by a policeman, number B2547, at least 30 people succeeded into getting into the castle including the magic carpet and the "fight the bosses not their wars" banner.
Then police and officials closed the doors to the castle, the crowd besieged the big wooden doors to the castle, with already a lot of tourists and people in, who tried to open the doors again.
We stayed in the castle for about half an hour. The people inside the castle negotiated with the police to get out of the castle again, and then all blockaded the drawer bridge.
In total, the castle was closed down for over an hour.
The castle is not only a tourist attraction, but also a military garrison.
Protesters saw soldiers inside the castle wearing combat uniforms.
The school students took the initiative and the masses took over to march on to Princes street, blocking the street and bringing the traffic to a full halt,
then marching to the East end of Princes street, ending up at Calton Hill, first attempting to march on the US Consulate, but the police blocked off the march at the foot of Calton Hill.
As far as we know at the moment, there have not been any arrests, but about 100 people were hemmed in at both sides only allowing them out in small groups, and taking a few people's names, mainly the adults'.
The protest also included people from Glasgow and Fife.
The Striking schools included Firrhill school, Boroughmuir School, James Gillespies School and others.
The Crowd marched up to the castle, from parliament square, and, at the start of the esplanade, the officials tried to block us, but people pushed past the officials with the magic carpet and then people moved towards the drawer bridge, and there were officials blocking the way, people forcing the way past them into the castle, again with the aid of magic carpet.
Police formed a line, people charged into the police line and broke through and got into the castle, there were a lot of islands of officials, a 14 year old girl had her head banged against the wall by a policeman, number B2547, at least 30 people succeeded into getting into the castle including the magic carpet and the "fight the bosses not their wars" banner.
Then police and officials closed the doors to the castle, the crowd besieged the big wooden doors to the castle, with already a lot of tourists and people in, who tried to open the doors again.
We stayed in the castle for about half an hour. The people inside the castle negotiated with the police to get out of the castle again, and then all blockaded the drawer bridge.
In total, the castle was closed down for over an hour.
The castle is not only a tourist attraction, but also a military garrison.
Protesters saw soldiers inside the castle wearing combat uniforms.
The school students took the initiative and the masses took over to march on to Princes street, blocking the street and bringing the traffic to a full halt,
then marching to the East end of Princes street, ending up at Calton Hill, first attempting to march on the US Consulate, but the police blocked off the march at the foot of Calton Hill.
As far as we know at the moment, there have not been any arrests, but about 100 people were hemmed in at both sides only allowing them out in small groups, and taking a few people's names, mainly the adults'.
The protest also included people from Glasgow and Fife.
school_students_hooray
Comments
Display the following comment