Stop The War Coalition announces G8 Demo in Edinburgh Mon 3rd July

The Stop The War Coalition has announced its intention to hold a mass demonstration in Edinburgh on Sunday 3rd July.

They have applied for permission to march from Bruntsfield Links, through the centre of town, down Princes Street to Calton Hill for 6pm where a Naming the Dead Ceremony and anti-war rally will be held.

The Scotsman newspaper is briefing against the demonstration, encouraging the council to refuse permission for the protest, saying it would cost too much extra money to police and would cause too much disruption following the expected massive Make Poverty History demonstration the day before. "Edinburgh council tax payers have rights too" ends their editorial on the matter. One can't help feeling that maybe they should have opposed the G8 ever coming to Scotland if that's the way they feel about demonstrations.

See:

http://www.stopwar.org.uk

Our police officers will be stretched too far

http://news.scotsman.com/opinion.cfm?id=557332005

Double trouble on G8 weekend

http://news.scotsman.com/edinburgh.cfm?id=557842005

no war update

Comments

Hide the following 15 comments

BOOOOOORING!

21.05.2005 12:25

Whoopeeee, yet another pointless impotent SWP parade that is SO gonna tell Bushit and Bliar that they are naughty boys and should cease their silly wars.

Well guess who will NOT be going to this impotent debacle....

the middle finger

No Not Boring

21.05.2005 12:57

It's a good time to be protesting against Bush and Blair.

And anyway 'middle finger' just where do you get off posting a negative comment after post after post on Indymedia? I think we're all pretty tired of your complaining comments, and by now I think we know your politics.

So I'm not surprised you won't be going to this protest, but quite frankly who cares. A lot of other people will. I certainly will.

And if you prefer more direct action approches then there's plenty of that available during the G8 protests. If you prefer debate then there's plenty of that also. You could also go to the Stop The War demo and talk to people about other forms of action, or leaflet them about other actions during the G8. You could even organise your own protests. Just stop posting negative carping comments all the time.

I think the important thing about this news post is that the scotsman newspaper is starting a campaign to get the demonstration denied, which quite frankly is outrageous!

Pete

well the SWP/STWC are at it again

21.05.2005 14:18

And their A to B marches are even more pointless than most other forms of protest. I am sure a lot of anarchist types will be pissed off that they are daring to hijack the G8 protests like they did with the ESF.

Anyway, I won't be bothering with any of it. You are right not to care about me, because I won't be caring about you.

the middle finger

Middle Finger....

21.05.2005 16:35

Are your politics impotent, or is it just you?

Let him eat cake

The Middle Troll

21.05.2005 21:44

Middle Finger - WHAT exactly is your point? The STWC are "hijacking" G8 protests by... JOINING IN???

What kind of sectarian bollox is that??

The more protests the better init? I would have said? OK so if it's not radical enough to make a difference then at least it's not doing any harm? You're suggesting that they're actually doing some sort of damage to the movement by er... taking part - or "hijacking" as you call it.

To be honest there are people in Make Poverty History who think that G8 Alternatives (and Dissent! even more so) are "hijacking" their protests.

Nobody owns the protest. Nobody gets to say "I thought of protesting first so these are MY protests". That's just bollox. Everyone can protest. The more people who do the better. You've never had anything positive to say about anything. If people are pissed off and they want to protest then who are you to tell them that you're too hardcore and too cool to join in their mere mortal A-B marches. If they want to protest, great! - let them protest. Fuck's sake, man.

OI!!!!

Get orrff of me protests!

what's more boring, A to B marches or TROLLS?

Pathetic

22.05.2005 11:04

Just by looking at that pathetic slogan u understand the stupid, compromising nature of the people that are organising this.

Who exactly are they asking to fight poverty andstop wars?? The g8?? Blair and Bush?? Do these idiots really think that the worlds leaders are gonna listen to them? Or do they just want to sidetrack people from the real issue which is the system we live in and its nature. No compromises with the system. Bring it down now before it brings all of mankind down. As far as im concerned these idiots can demonstrate with the catholic church during the g8 summit. You both deserve eachother.

Bring down the system

if you wanna protest, protest

22.05.2005 11:41

Saying that it's pointless to protest does NOT equal saying that you shouldn't protest. I just don't see the point, and feel vocal in saying so, but if people see the point in it, then it's up to them, I am not the type to want to dictate what people do with their lives (unlike other organiations such as NuLabour and the SWP for example). Being a coward I will be safely home in bed while people are getting arrested and imprisoned just so everything will be just as usual afterwards. But if people want to do this, go do it, no skin off my nose.

Just remember the shit being thrown up when the SWP/STWC organised an anti-war march at the ESF, and how everyone was up in arms because the SWP were hijacking that event.

Besides, I am sure not the only one that thinks SWP marches = pile of boring shite.

the middle finger

Loser

22.05.2005 16:18

Middle Finger. You are a loser. Get a job, better still, go and have a wash.

Keep taking the medication.

Predictable

22.05.2005 17:55

So once again we have a situation where a demonstration will be hijacked by the SWP for there own ends. Participants will find a ready supply of pre-made banners and posters all ready to be carried. SWP marshals will be on hand to "control" the crowd. The police will be "liased" with to prevent trouble.

All this so the SWP will be able to claim it was "their" march. Of course the sheep will follow as they always do.

When will you learn how you are being manipulated ?

Independent Protestor

Stop The War Coalition is NOT the SWP

23.05.2005 14:06

For any numbskulls still going on about the SWP and the STWC here is a list of the steering committee of the STWC:-

Tony Benn President
George Galloway MP Vice President
Alice Mahon MP Vice President
Tam Dalyell MP Vice President
Tariq Ali Vice President
Caroline Lucas MEP Vice President
Keith Sonnet (Unison) Vice President
Jeremy Corbyn MP
Andrew Murray (TGWU) Chair
Lindsey German Convenor
Jim Brann (London CND) Treasurer
Jim Addington Action For UN Renewal
Explo Nani Kofi ALISC Network
Carol Turner
Regan Scott Bertrand Russell Trust
Saleh Mamoud CAMPACC
Graham Stevenson Communist Party
Kate Hudson CND
Steve Bell CWU
Tekin Kartel Day-mer
Linda Smith FBU London, and Respect
Ibrahim Dogus FEDBIR
Riad Al Tahrir Friendship Across Frontiers
Ismael Patel Friends of al- Aqsa
Chris Nineham Globalise Resistance
Mick Ryan GMB
Paul Ingram Green Party
Louise Christian Human Rights Lawyer
Fred Leplat ISG
Ghada Razuki
Claire James ISR
Sabah Jawad Iraqi Democrats
Jane Shallice
Iraq Occupation Focus
Just Peace
Simon De Ville Labour Against The War
Walter Wolfgang Labour CND
Military Families Against the War
MAB
Dr Ghaysuddin Siddiqui Muslim Parliament
Trevor Phillips NATFHE
Anita Halpin NUJ
Pete Leary National Union Students
Tom Whittaker National Union Students
Sarah Colborne PSC
RMT
Alys Elica Zaerin School Students Against War
Simeon Andrews Socialist Campaign Group of MPs
Ken Smith Socialist Party
Stop Political Terror
John Rees SWP
Andrew Burgin STWC Press
Andy Newman STWC Swindon
Andy Bain TSSA
Bernard Regan NUT Exec, personal capacity
1990's Trust
UK Veterans and Families for Peace

Shaunyboy

Doh !

23.05.2005 14:21

If you wanted to convince us Shaunyboy that the Stop the War Coalittion is not an SWP front perhaps it would have been better not to have printed a list of people where so many of them are members or supporters of the SWP !

Why are the SWP so keen to be distanced from this demo I wonder ?

Homer

wrong target

23.05.2005 15:07

Anarchists and other autonomous anti-capitalist activists have to be clear on who the real hijackers of the anti-G8 protests are.

These are Brown, Blair, Geldoff and Bono and important elements of the leadership of 'make poverty history'(mph).

Gordon Brown has actually called on people to attend Edinburgh July 2nd 'make poverty history' rally! The Labour Party is trying to spin the media that the protest is in support of Browns plans! (For more on why these plans won't make poverty history but will only strenghthen capitalism, check out the literature of groups like the World Development Movement).

People of course, should still attend the July 2nd MPH rally. We all want to make poverty history...but we need to remain independant and criticise our governments proposals. In order to abolish poverty we must aim to make capitalism history, as it is capitalism that breeds poverty.

Then after July 2nd Rally the MPH leaders want everyone to go home. Geldoff is planning another 'Live Aid' concert somewhere far away from the G8 with lots of multi-millionaire popstars to attract a crowd. They will attempt to play 'divide and rule', with anyone wishing to stay on for the July 6th Gleneagles demo and after as mad demented terrorists!

The police are attempting to ban the Gleneagles demo on July 6th organised by 'G8 Alternatives'. But this group, which includes CND, Stop the War, the SWP and many others will push ahead anyway. The authorities tried to ban demo's in London against Bush's visit, but 'stop the war' faced them down, got 300,000 there and can do it again.

I think the July 3rd stop the war demo is a good idea. We need to encourage people to stay on after July 2nd. Stop the War is much more than the SWP, has a support base of hundreds of thousands, and can help swell the protests. We will need several days of mass protests, and this demo really helps, actually.

Barry Kade

Sorry

23.05.2005 21:16

Sorry Homer,

Can you clarify which members of the STWC are members of SWP?

It would make it easier then to see if the STWC is really a front for the SWP or whether or not that is a figment of your imagination.

Shaunyboy