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Manchester Labour Party Conference Protest Photos

John Leach | 23.09.2006 19:08 | Anti-militarism

Some photos from the Manchester Labour Party Conference protest organised by the Stop the War coalition. I release these photos into the public domain. Use them as you wish.












Full resolution versions of these are available here:
 http://johnleach.co.uk/photography/places/0609-labour-party-protest-manchester/

John Leach
- e-mail: john@johnleach.co.uk
- Homepage: http://johnleach.co.uk

Comments

Hide the following 3 comments

Was it worth it?

24.09.2006 07:03

These pictured look fantastic, and you should all be proud of your efforts. But it's less than 24 hours after the event and already the march has fallen off the news agenda. We are straight back to the usual news diet of personality soap-opera with barely a mention of policies.

I've no doubt that these types of protest can work, but just look at the effort involved. It took weeks of action in the Ukraine, and a similar picture is emerging from Hungary. Can we honestly expect to maintain this level of involvement in the UK?

I'm exasperated - more robust action is required. No significant change in our system ever happened within the law, and democracy is a joke - if it were anything else it would be outlawed. The need for change is so pressing as a few more years of this direction could lead us to armaggedon.

Stu G


it's always sunny in Manchester

24.09.2006 10:11

as you can see from the photos, it's always sunny in Manchester. I'll have none of your prejudice and nonsense about rain...

Manc


RE:Was it worth it?

24.09.2006 11:27

If one had not ever been on any of the anti-war demonstration before then one would have the impression that all that went on was that some people went to Manchester and took photos of each other. All the 'reports' so far have been photos and no actual worded reports of what happened. For example did the die-in take place? were there any speeches, what was the general mood on the march?

The main problem was not that this has stayed within the law but the message of the demonstration - or lack of it. I have mentioned previously in a comment that the Stop the War Coalition FAILED to take a clear position against the pro-war parties and candidates. This time they have failed to take a position against the warmonger Blair and his party including the various lackeys including Jeremy Corbyn. Twilight is partly right because he/she states clearly that it is how the public sees the demonstration that is important. THEY (the ones nowhere near the march) do not see the socialist worker placard that does actually mention Blair - those are there for the benefit of intoxicating the anti-wars who want peace. THEY do not hear the anti-war anti-Blair speeches. What they hear as I did because I was not on the march this time, is an ITV commentator talking about what the issue is FOR BLAIR... AND what the issue is FOR THE NEO-LABOR PARTY ..... NOT what the issue is for the anti-war demonstrators who want peace. This ITV report did not show any images of the anti-war demonstrators or any of the placards so therefore not the anti-Blair SWP placard. I didn't see the later reports but I bet they also did not show any of the anti-war speeches. What the people will have also seen earlier in the week was the 'Spooks' TV propaganda drama in which anti-war demonstrators are portrayed as easily provoked to violence, and using footage probably taken from actual Stop the War marches, and using actual placards that the Stop the War demonstrators have used giving the impression that the best course of action on Saturday was to STAY AWAY. The message to demonstation organisers being not to organise anything too provocative - otherwise someone could end up dead. FEAR WORKS. TERRORISM.... Pakistan.

Brian B
- Homepage: http://www.brianb.uklinux.net/antiwar-discuss/