this is the best coverage i could find on the beeb.. is it being mentioned on the telly..? i dont have a telly at this time!
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Thousands stage anti-war protest
Protesters march past Big Ben
The march began near Parliament
Several thousand protesters are taking part in a demonstration in central London against the conflict in Iraq.
The route has taken protesters along Whitehall and into Piccadilly before reaching Hyde Park for a rally.
Fathers of two British soldiers killed in Iraq addressed protesters before the march started Parliament at noon.
Scotland Yard said about 10,000 protesters were taking part, but organisers Stop The War Coalition said the figure was about 100,000.
As the marchers walked up Whitehall, some campaigners shouted: "Down with Downing Street" and "Stop the bombings".
Among the protesters was Sue Smith, of Tamworth, Staffordshire, whose son Phillip Hewett died in July when a roadside bomb exploded under his vehicle near Basra.
Ms Smith delivered a letter to the prime minister urging him to pull British troops out of Iraq.
You made the decision to go to Iraq and you can make the decision to get our sons and daughters out of there
Letter to Tony Blair from a parent of a soldier killed in Iraq
She broke down in tears as she read out the letter out the crowd at Hyde Park.
In her letter, she said: "Seven weeks ago we saw our son for the last time in a coffin at the chapel of rest. (We were) looking down on the face of a son that I had given birth to and loved with all my heart, knowing that I would never see him again.
"You made the decision to go to Iraq and you can make the decision to get our sons and daughters out of there."
Andrew Murray, chairman of the Stop The War coalition, was the first to speak to the demonstrators, saying: "We are marching to defend our civil liberties which are under attack and to show our solidarity with the Muslim communities who are bearing the brunt of that attack."
Peter Brierly (right) speaks to the crowd as Territorial Army soldier George Solomou (second from right) and Bianca Jagger (fourth from right) look on
Peter Brierley (right) spoke to the crowd before the march began
Kate Hudson, chair of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, read out a message from London Mayor Ken Livingstone.
It said: "The war and occupation have brought neither democracy nor peace to Iraq.
"We have made life harder and far more dangerous for the population of that country."
British soldier Lance-Corporal George Solomou, who refused his call-up to serve in Iraq, said: "The British people are increasingly realising that they have been told more and more lies about the war."
Earlier, Reg Keys, whose son Tom was one of six military policemen killed in June 2003, and Peter Brierley, whose son Shaun died in Kuwait in April of that year, called for British troops to be brought home.
The coalition said the recent clashes involving British troops in Basra highlighted the urgent need to bring the "occupation" to an end.
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bbc news 24
24.09.2005 17:22
boz
Thousands march in London against Iraq war
24.09.2005 17:23
Sat Sep 24, 9:10 AM ET
LONDON (AFP) - Several thousand demonstrators have begun marching through central London calling for an end to the US-led war in
Iraq and for the return of British troops from the country.
.
Protest rallies were also planned in Rome, Paris, Madrid, Copenhagen, Oslo and Helsinki, to coincide with a similar march in Washington.
The Stop The War coalition, which organised the London rally jointly with the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament and the Muslim Association of Britain, said it expected at least 100,000 people to take part on Saturday.
The protestors gathered outside the Houses of Parliament before setting off for Hyde Park.
Some carried banners accusing British Prime Minister
Tony Blair of deception and calling for him to go.
British anti-war campaigners have been calling relentlessly for the return of the 8,500 British troops deployed as part of the US-led forces in Iraq.
Saturday's protest was also called in protest at counter-terrorism measures proposed by the government in the wake of the London bombings in July, and perceived by critics as a threat to civil liberties.
The last such demonstration took place on March 19 when organisers claimed 110,000 people took to the streets although police estimated the figure to be closer to 45,000.
AFP
AP. photos
24.09.2005 17:42
AP
Gay rights also but...
24.09.2005 18:49
I attended the parade (from Traf Sq where I showed my gay rights/civil liberty's banner) to all
who passed before walking thru from the back of the march).
The gay side of the banner read : 80 countires persecute gay human beings (eg Iran 2005 with pics of the two teens hanged in July and the recent gay lad flogged there) followed by
Demand Liberty & justice for LGBT people Worldwide.
(other side mentioned :Justice,Not revenge- Simon Wiesenthal -RIP. and the ben Franklin quote- Those who give up liberty for security will have neither)>
I didn't see any other openly gay groups with banners on the parade (though I know the sambatistas were there and have some gay/by members).
Had nothing but largely 'black looks or aversion' from most muslim groups and one in the park who said the two teens executed was not because gay but because they had killed
Afghan refugees ! (not heard that cobblers before). He also said that as I wasn't religious and was gay, '" You are nothing". I tried make the point that this was rather at odds with the march theme of (in part) civil liberties, but he just walked away dismissively.)
Also held in up right in front of the speakers for about 1/2 hour as a 'reminder' that for all the talk of civil liberties from some speakers, gay people are not afforded such around the world and from some in the park too.
(ie: the Hizbt al group at Hyde Pk Corner , who didn't seem too pleased to see the banner as I wealked past - after visting the Stop Stoning campaign stall by a progressive and secular Iran group).
I reiterate, it was not my intention to cause any offence or upset, just to remind people of the apparent hypocrisy of some- and not just muslim groups. I am aware that for most of history Islam tended to be the most tolerant of the 3 mid-east religions as regards gays.
Other than that I fully support troops out of Iraq and much of what was also said from the platform that I heard (yes and from the muslim speakers- I just call on them to make good there support for civil liberties for ALL)
pirate
numbers
24.09.2005 19:24
stop the war coalition say 100,000
international answer say 250,000 in washington
re civil liberties don't forget the conference in london tomorrow
peace.
mick
20,000 tops but who cares?
24.09.2005 20:27
details please
numbers count?