The traditionally conservative tourist town of York, UK, has become one of the largest centres of anti-war activity in provincial Britain. 15th March saw a demonstration of 5000 people, around 3% of the population, through the city centre. This was comfortably the largest demonstration in York ever. At 11am on Thursday 20th March, the day after the bombing started, York had its first taste of mass civil disobedience for years. Hundreds of school children who had walked out of school in protest and some University students who had remained in York during the Easter break were joined by dozens of Council employees on an unoffical strike. With the police caught on the hop, the 400 or more demonstrators noisily marched around the town centre then embarked on three mass sit-down protests: on Lendall Bridge, Ouse Bridge and the Skeldergate Roundabout - the busiest in town. The police reacted brutally, dragging children and students out of the road by their necks on Ouse Bridge, then knocking a student to the floor as he tried to break up the protest (picture included) at the Skeldergate roundabout. The most remarkable features of this protest were its spontaneity and fearlessness, for which the school students were largely responsible. As one school student said: "We don't agree with this war and we are sick of not being listened to. These protests are our way of defying authority." Police made five arrests in all, although there was no violence whatever from the demonstrators. The three university students arrested are pursuing action against the police. That evening the demonstrators were back in force, with 600-1000 gathering for a rally in the town centre at 6.00 pm. Again, Ouse Bridge and Lendall Bridge were blocked, although the police quickly dispersed both blockades. The following day young protestors twice harangued York MP Hugh Bailey who voted with the government for war. They attempted a mock citizens' arrest, shouting 'war criminal!' and 'welfare, not warfare!'. On the Friday evening there was more civil disobedience as school, college and university students became increasingly militant. The entrance to the train station was temporarily blocked, and Ouse Bridge was blockaded yet again. School walkouts continue although at many schools (like Fulford school) students have been barricaded in as more than 1/3 of the students tried to walk out. Several school students have been suspended or expelled. Frustrated with the conservatism of some of the organisors of the York anti-war movement, a group of about 100 protestors have held pavement meetings to discuss future plans for civil disobedience including road takeovers and impromptu street carnivals.