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manchester protests

michael | 21.03.2003 15:58

street blockades in Manchester (Fri 21 Mar)

Networking Newsletter (Issue 46): Manchester Against War

Stopping the War

--> Last update: Fri 21 Mar (3:40pm)  Please email us with any additions

We've attempted to summarize and give pointers to forthcoming anti-war events, and give some feedback on recent events, as well as useful contacts. More information on Manchester events can be found at Manchester Stop the War's web site. Given the rapidly changing situation, you are advised to check these sites regularly.

photo: thousands gather in Piccadilly Gardens
Thousands gather in Piccadilly Gardens to call for peace (Thurs 20 March)

Demonstrate!

The war commenced in the early hours of Thurs 20 March bringing thousands onto the streets in the evening. Stop the city anyway you can, eg with blockades arranged for Friday morning. And a choice of three Saturday protests

STOP PRESS:
Fri 21 March
2pm: Students attempt to block Princess Road, Hulme but are herded away by heavy handed police. Several arrests.
Morning: photo: protesters block Oxford Road morning: protestors march from Whalley Range and Hulme to (partially) block Princess Parkway and Oxford Road (see photo on right)

Planned Protests

Demonstrate this Saturday (22 March)

You've (at least!) 3 choices: London (march/rally), Menwith Hill (foil the base) and Manchester (march/rally):

London

The Stop The War Coalition has called a national demonstration against the imminent war on Iraq for Saturday 22 March 2003, 12noon in London. The assembly points will be the same as those on the 15th February 2003 ie: Route A - Gower Street, for all those from the North; and Route B - Embankment, for everyone else (including London). For further information please contact the office on 0207 053 2153/4/5/6.
Transport to Demo
Greater Manchester Stop the War Coalition will be organising transport to London. Coaches are planned to go from Chorlton Street Bus Station in Manchester at around 7am. £10 unwaged, £15 waged, £20 solidarity. To book please contact your local contact:
  • Central Manchester/Chorlton St Bus station: Hilary 07985 007 494
  • Bolton: Neil 07931 382 398
  • Bury/Prestwich: Geoff 07905 327 690
  • Cheetham Hill/North Manc'r: Kay 0161 203 5064
  • Chorlton: Colin or Ewa 0161 881 1070
  • Didsbury: Tim 07971 788 096
  • High Peaks: Mary 01457 852 347
  • Longsight: Kate 07734 809 616 or Richard 07753 273 860
  • Levenshulme: Charlotte 07866 065 062
  • Oldham: Ameen 07966 316 029
  • Salford Uni/ Eccles: Gary 07876 213 776
  • Stockport: Sheila 07803 928 178
  • Tameside: Tony 077865 30146
  • (Manchester Met) Uni: Zenib 07973 899 476
  • (Manchester) University: Fergus 07887 564 182
  • Withington: John 07961 820 710
Contact ANSWER (07760 224 580, ANSWERmanchester@aol.com) for more information.

Foil the Base

Saturday 22, Menwith Hill, Yorkshire. Transport from Manchester.
A day of peaceful creative direct action, music, speakers and a tour at the US military base Menwith Hill would play a crucial role in any war on Iraq. As the largest electronic monitoring station in the world it picks up communications from satellites covering the Middle East - it even won an award for its eavesdropping in the last Gulf War. It is the ‘brains’ of any attack on Iraq. Menwith is also a key base for the project of long-term military aggression - ‘Star Wars’. To ‘foil the base’ (disrupt satellite signals at the base) there has to be as much foil in the air as possible. Bring foil kites, foil balloons, foil puppets; use your imagination! Make your demonstrations visible at the real heart of the military machine; if only a fraction of the people marching in London take action at military bases the war will become unworkable. Coaches from Manchester will cost £5 or £10 solidarity, will leave at 10am and should be back around 6pm.
Info: Neighbours Against War (07905 913 139, mail@now-peace.org.uk); transport (07816 420 391) or GM&D CND (0161 273 8283, gmdcnd@gn.apc.org)

Manchester Peace Vigil

Saturday 22, Manchester If you can't get to either of the above, there will be a demonstration in Manchester at All Saints at 1pm for procession to the Peace Gardens for a vigil at 2pm. Take your placards, banners, candles, etc.

Brief details of up-coming events

Next local demo...
photo: march in London

Above & below: A million march in London in protest at plans for war on Iraq
photo: march in London

Recent Demos

Other Actions to Take

We hope to add more initiatives shortly. Unfortunately, we can't recommend that any, or even doing all, of these will stop the war...

Misc

Contacts

Mainly local and regional contacts, with a splattering of main national organisations and resources:
NETWORKING NEWSLETTER:
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Photos: Tony/Manchester FoE, Graeme/Manchester FoE, Rob S/LETS

© Networking Newsletter (Feb/Mar 2003)

michael
- Homepage: http://www.networkingnewsletter.org.uk/46/nowar.shtml

Comments

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Manc protests update

21.03.2003 19:07

correction to 25 arrests report on Princess Parkway, Hulme (main road into Manc from south of England) this morning - actually 9, plus about 4 from later this afternoon when people gathering on Oxford Road ended up reinvading the Parkway arterial road.

other stuff: Whalley Range blockade this morning brings area to a standstill for half an hour, till people decide to join nearby Hulme blockade. Don't know reports of other stuff apart from above and also look at another page,  http://uk.indymedia.org/front.php3?article_id=58285&group=webcast

Meet up at Oxford Road Student Union at 1 begins in speeches leading to occupation of lecture hall before we all thankfully head out heading for a key road junction. Get there with 20 cop vans including riot cops and command/'intelligence' Land Rover and 15 horses in tow. Blockade road before getting penned in (Section 12 Public Order Act, being challenged currently under Human Rights Legislation by ARROV) and returned towards studentville.

Go tomorrow to Menwith Hill Foil the Base, your local US spybase, integral to the war effort - www.peace-now.org.uk

Meet Monday 8am (prompt) outside Owens Park in Fallowfield, on foot or bicycle.

See you there - to find out phone number for info about other blockades in coming days, or to get support to organise your own on  http://www.manchesterstopthewar.org/actions.html

advice on blockading and other stuff (check out Manchester's own 'Guide to Public Order Situations') at  http://www.schnews.org.uk/diyguide/

legal advice at www.activistslegalproject.org.uk

[briefly: do NOT give your name & address unless actually arrested or driving a vehicle. NO COMMENT to all questions they ask, in interview or chatting - it's only to get more evidence against you and others. Phone a solicitor - do not rely on duty solicitors who'll usually give you shit advice. Call Andrew Fitzpatrick solicitors who've much experience in this kind of thing on 0161-248 9799 (emergency number on their answerphone). Support people in the police station. Don't worry - you'll be out soon. People today were being let out of Longsight copshop every half hour with a caution only as they were full & drafted cops in from Wigan]

advice on blockading at
 http://talk.to/delia

contact phone number for local blockades is 07745 980 700, or see  http://www.networkingnewsletter.org.uk/46/blockade.html.

However, don't wait for a reply, just go for it with 4 mates near your homes, in the street, in their oil garages and arms industry offices...dare to imagine, and imagine to dare...

knackered updater