URGENT Oxford and UK - more info on action over Falluja, probably this Saturday

In the case of the start of a massive attack on Iraqi cities such as
Fallujah, it has been decided that people could gather at Carfax/Cornmarket
at 6pm. Bring candles. Wear black if possible.

STOP PRESS This is definitely going ahead today. We will be having a child's coffin at the protest, covered in black and with
wreaths and flowers. If you can help in making the coffin (from boxes)
please phone me Nuala Oxford 749459 otherwise bring any flowers you can to
the Carfax end of Cornmarket for 5.45 this evening



LONDON

If the bombing of Fallujah is suddenly escalated East Oxford Stop the WAr
[A] Flowers for Fallujah: Emergency Demo, Sunday 7th November, London
[B] Contingency plans for action if the massive attack starts
[C] Recent inspirational actions from around the country
[E] Nonviolent direct action training workshop: Sunday 14th November, London
[F] Making a Killing: the corporate invasion of Iraq, talk in London with
Naomi Klein, 24 November
[G] Iraq Occupation Focus Organising Meeting, Tuesday 9th November, London
[H] Iraq Occupation Focus / Red Pepper Poetry Competition (fundraiser for
the International Teach-in on 'Occupation and Resistance in Iraq' on 5th
December)

*********************************

[A] FLOWERS FOR FALLUJAH: Emergency Demonstration Against the Looming
Attacks on Iraq's Cities.
SUNDAY 7TH NOVEMBER, LONDON

Meet 2pm, Parliament Square
Bri
ng white flowers & come and make your protest in your own way!

'In the name of recapturing Iraqi cities so that polling can take place,
US forces have already started - and are planning to widen - a campaign
of air strikes which will probably cause more civilian casualties than
last year's invasion' (Guardian, 9 Oct).

Bush's re-election makes immediate and sustained opposition to the
escalation more urgent than ever.

A massive attack on Fallujah, where US forces massacred hundreds of
Iraqis in April, is now imminent and will, in the words of one US
official, be "very bloody and nasty" (Washington Post on-line edition,
16 Oct).

IT'S TIME
"Iraqis are resisting desperately for their lives and for their country
and so far we in the anti-war movement have responded to their courage
with deafening silence. Millions of us marched against the war on
February 15th, but where were those voices when US tanks rolled into
Najaf? I know we tell ourselves we have this power, that when the right
moment comes we will really be able to mobilise. But that moment of
truth is always deferred. If we have these weapons let us use them now.
It's time." (Naomi Klein, 20 Aug)

BLAIR WAVERED
When the US attacked Fallujah in April, more than 600 Iraqis were killed
in the first week and 'the vast majority of the dead were women,
children and the elderly,' according to local medical sources
(Guardian, 12 Apr). Publicly Tony Blair stood lock-step with the US
Government 'den[ying] . heavy-handedness by US forces' (Guardian, 20
Apr) and asserting that it was 'perfectly right and proper that [the US]
take action' (BBC, 28 Apr). Privately, however, he 'appealed to
Washington to halt the offensive.' Why? 'The Prime Minister had been
under pressure for more than a year from an antiwar majority in his
ruling Labour Party,' and civilian casualties were 'causing opposition
to flare' (LA Times, 24 Oct).

WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE
Popular protest here in the UK could help derail the planned attacks on
Fallujah and other Iraqi towns. No US assault is inevitable. If an
attack does take place, protests before, during and after the assaults
can limit the damage and help to deter further attacks.

Please join us on the 7th November!

Called by Stop the Attacks - an ad hoc collection of anti-war activists
old and new.
tel. 07818 651 124. e-mail:  stoptheattacks@fastmail.fm

*********************************************
[B] CONTINGENCY PLANS FOR ACTION IF THE MASSIVE ATTACK ON FALLUJAH STARTS

* LONDON:
- Stop The War vigil on the night of the major onslaught (or the night
after), 5pm-7pm, opposite Downing Street. Organised by the Stop the War
Coalition: www.stopwar.org.uk.
- Nonviolent Direct Action. Meet 7pm at the statue of Edith Cavell (opposite
the entrance to the National Portrait Gallery, north-east of Trafalgar
Square). Called by an ad hoc collection of nonviolent activists.

* OUTSIDE LONDON. On day of onslaught (next day depending on timing):

- CARDIFF: 5.30pm- at Nye Bevan Statue, Queen Street.
- CREWKERNE, S SOMERSET: 12pm, front of Victoria Hall. Black clothes
preferably,
banners. Coordination Pat Read, 01460 74043.
- EDINBURGH: 5pm, Parliament Square (off the Royal Mile).
- EXETER: 5.30pm, Exe Bridges.
- LEEDS: 5-6pm, Dortmond Square, Headrow, Leeds town centre.
- MANCHESTER: 5pm-, Picadilly Gardens, City centre, Manchester.
- OXFORD 6pm Carfax/Cornmarket
- SOUTHAMPTON: 6pm, Outside the Civic Centre, opposite the Marlands.
- SHEFFIELD: 4.30pm, Outside Sheffield Town Hall.
- SWINDON: 6pm, Cenotaph, Regent Circus.
- YEOVIL: 11am following Saturday, Millenium Clock Tower, High St.

If you are organising an action then please make make sure to send info. to
the following e-mails when you publicise your event:  office@stopwar.org.uk,
 iraqfocus@riseup.net and  voices@voicesuk.org.