Report of Glasgow protest outside John Smith House and vigil by Donald Dewar statue
Monday 15th November 2004

Glasgow based Troops Out held a protest outside the Scottish Labour Party HQ, West Regent Street at 3.00pm on Monday 15th November. The building also houses the technical union AMICUS, Amalgamated and Electrical union AEEW, the office of Anniesland Labour MP John Robertson and manufacturing, science and finance union MSF.
A group of 15 braved wind, chill and rain to protest the massacres at Fallujah. Four police maintained a fairly low profile as the demonstrators chanted, “Murder in Fallujah, Troops out now!” and “Get the troops out now, get the troops out now, troops out now!” and “Tony Blair he is scum, he stole money off my mum, and he spent it on this bloody war, we don’t want him any more!” There was a large banner reading `Fight war not wars` and several placards read `Troops out of Iraq`. `Solidarity with the Fallujah resistance` and `Stop US/UK aggression against Iraq`. Leaflets were handed out and passing cars, vans and taxis tooted their horns in solidarity. It was decided to have the protest outside John Smith house at 3.00pm each day for the rest of the week (Tuesday 16th to Friday 19th November).
The group then held a vigil for Fallujah at the foot of the stairs to the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall. Starting off with around 12 people the vigil grew to about 20 with passers by joining in. Someone had called the police and two came along to request that no banners were placed on the Donald Dewar statue.

For more information about Troops Out please e-mail:  troopsoutglasgow@yahoo.co.uk
Meetings are held every Wednesday at Woodside Halls, 36 Glenfarg Street, G20 (Between St George’s Road and Clarendon Street at the bottom of Maryhill Road. The nearest underground station is St George’s Cross. If you have any difficulty finding it please phone [07952] 969102)
There will be a demonstration this Saturday 20th November in Perth at 11.00am, details to follow.
Six labelled photos of the day are attached.