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Iraq 4 years on – vigils held in Swindon

Simon | 20.03.2007 20:00 | Anti-militarism | Iraq

Four years on from the “shock and awe” invasion of Iraq, peace campaigners in Swindon, determined that this anniversary should not go unmarked, braved the bitter cold to hold vigils at the Cenotaph at lunch time and in the early evening.

Lunchtime vigil
Lunchtime vigil

Blair is addicted to war
Blair is addicted to war

When the power of love overcomes the love of power the world will find peace
When the power of love overcomes the love of power the world will find peace

Blair lied, 650,000+ died
Blair lied, 650,000+ died

Community poetry
Community poetry

Evening vigil
Evening vigil

Quakers join the evening vigil
Quakers join the evening vigil


At the lunch time vigil, a lady from Egypt approached the group, bubbling over with thanks, and took a few pictures with her phone before hurrying about her business.

The Swindon Advertiser sent a journalist and a photographer, who hung around for the entire length of the vigil, stopping passers by to ask them for their views.

At the evening vigil, the campaigners reflected that maybe 5pm would have been a better time to start than 5:30pm as the streets were almost deserted. The vigil did however attract several random passers-by who joined in, and a couple of the inevitable detractors.

“Wossisallaboutthen”, enquired one young man, inspecting my “Blair lied, 650,000+ died” placard. “Fourth anniversary of the invasion of Iraq”, I informed him. “Kill the lot of them” he replied. “Nuke the whole lot”. The overall level of political maturity in Swindon clearly still leaves a lot to be desired.

Just before 6pm, a minute’s silence was held, and then the campaigners dispersed.

Simon

Additions

Australia: The true face of the “war on terror”

20.03.2007 21:45

Last week’s highly provocative raids by anti-terrorism police on a number of University of Sydney students underscore the real political agenda behind the so-called war on terror. The bolstering of the state apparatus through a series of draconian “anti-terror” laws has been centrally aimed not at protecting ordinary people from the threat of terrorist attack, but rather at suppressing political dissent and intimidating anyone considering challenging the government or the state.

 http://wsws.org/articles/2007/mar2007/raid-m20.shtml

Patrick O’Connor

Comments

Hide the following 2 comments

We need to withdraw because it is the right thing to do

20.03.2007 21:43

Yes the lies have started ever since 9/11 if not earlier...

When I saw an article with some poll result below:

The poll highlights the impact the sectarian violence has had. Some 26% of Iraqis - 15% of Sunnis and 34% of Shi’ites - have suffered the murder of a family member. Kidnapping has also played a terrifying role: 14% have had a relative, friend or colleague abducted, rising to 33% in Baghdad.

Yet 49% of those questioned preferred life under Nouri al-Maliki, the prime minister, to living under Saddam. Only 26% said things had been better in Saddam’s era, while 16% said the two leaders were as bad as each other and the rest did not know or refused to answer.

 http://melbourne.indymedia.org/news/2007/03/142430.php

Chihaya

Covered by the Swindon Advertiser

21.03.2007 22:24

The adver published a pretty sympathetic report of the vigil:  http://www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/display.var.1272937.0.peace_protesters_mark_iraq_invasion_anniversary.php

Simon
- Homepage: http://www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/display.var.1272937.0.peace_protesters_mark_iraq_invasion_anniversary.php