It was hectic and exhilarating to be on such a huge and high-spirited demo. But it was a lot of work! We handed out Strike Journals and a press release about a parliamentary resolution (EDM) from MP John McDonnell defending our picket and Brian Haw’s two-year 24-hour protest in Parliament Square. (They can budget £10m to protect an un-wanted-dead-or-alive non-president, but Brian can’t get police protection from physical assault.)
We join Brian for a Community Anti-war Picket and Open Mic every Wednesday and Thursday evening. And we sold ‘Invest in Caring Not Killing’ T-shirts.
Luckily we get a lot of practice with all this multi-tasking at our Parliament Square picket. We’re all old hands at the mic now, and grassroots people also get a chance to speak who don’t normally, including those who pay the highest price for war: women and men from Iraq, African, Asian and Latin America, Palestine, anti-Zionist Jewish people, asylum seekers, soldiers, conscientious objectors . . .
We marched in a women’s contingent with the Eritrean Women’s Group and the Iraqi Women’s League. The lead banner said “Women Say No War, No Occupation, No military/corporate takeover, Invest in Caring -- Not Killing". We had our PA with chants and music and invited people to say on the mic why they were there. A (male) priest pushed the trolley with the PA most of the way, and he spoke against government policies making asylum seekers destitute (the Eritrean women are asylum seekers). Women joined us, some with kids, including those from outside London who had made their way to us despite police cordons.
Everyone was especially delighted to see so many young people from schools and colleges taking time off classes. The atmosphere was lively, noisy and the placards imaginative. It was great to know that at the front were veterans, including Vietnam vet. Ron Kovic, who had spoken for the Strike in Los Angeles because he “supports the Strike 100%". Whoever is in front, it feels very different to be in a women’s contingent which ensures that women’s anti-war commitment and our caring work, which keeps the whole world alive, war or peace, is not hidden. One woman’s placard said, “Mothers of the World against the President of Death.”
We’ll continue protesting outside the House and to report on anti-war activities sent by our international network. Our PA, email and website are weapons against censorship – by the media or by the macho men AND women for whom demanding the military budget for the carers of the world first of all is not “really” anti-war!
Community picket and open mic
No to War, No to the Occupation of Iraq, Parliament Square. Every Weds and Thurs 5.30-7pm Info: 0207 482 2496
Luckily we get a lot of practice with all this multi-tasking at our Parliament Square picket. We’re all old hands at the mic now, and grassroots people also get a chance to speak who don’t normally, including those who pay the highest price for war: women and men from Iraq, African, Asian and Latin America, Palestine, anti-Zionist Jewish people, asylum seekers, soldiers, conscientious objectors . . .
We marched in a women’s contingent with the Eritrean Women’s Group and the Iraqi Women’s League. The lead banner said “Women Say No War, No Occupation, No military/corporate takeover, Invest in Caring -- Not Killing". We had our PA with chants and music and invited people to say on the mic why they were there. A (male) priest pushed the trolley with the PA most of the way, and he spoke against government policies making asylum seekers destitute (the Eritrean women are asylum seekers). Women joined us, some with kids, including those from outside London who had made their way to us despite police cordons.
Everyone was especially delighted to see so many young people from schools and colleges taking time off classes. The atmosphere was lively, noisy and the placards imaginative. It was great to know that at the front were veterans, including Vietnam vet. Ron Kovic, who had spoken for the Strike in Los Angeles because he “supports the Strike 100%". Whoever is in front, it feels very different to be in a women’s contingent which ensures that women’s anti-war commitment and our caring work, which keeps the whole world alive, war or peace, is not hidden. One woman’s placard said, “Mothers of the World against the President of Death.”
We’ll continue protesting outside the House and to report on anti-war activities sent by our international network. Our PA, email and website are weapons against censorship – by the media or by the macho men AND women for whom demanding the military budget for the carers of the world first of all is not “really” anti-war!
Community picket and open mic
No to War, No to the Occupation of Iraq, Parliament Square. Every Weds and Thurs 5.30-7pm Info: 0207 482 2496
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