Is there any more info on the march, like an estimate of numbers or what happened on the march.

Well, as for numbers, the BBC quoted about 5000 so I think we can take that as a minimum.

The protest started off next to Waterloo Place beneath Calton Hill. (Close - but not that close - to the American consulate. If a few hundred schoolchildren were able to break in to the consulate gardens through the hedge, why weren't thousands of all ages allowed to do the same?) There was a diverse mix of protesters, but to me it seemed like the people really in charge of the day were the police. Our route all along was bounded in by metal fences and yellow-jacketed police and stewards; the march repeatedly had to slow down or stop because the police thought we were travelling too fast.

We marched along Princes Street, filling both lanes which had been carefully blocked off by the authorities anyway. When the front of the march got about level with Edinburgh Castle, we all sat down. Then we were told by the organisers that half of the sit down would be a quiet vigil for the people dying and half would be people making as much noise as possible. I don't have a problem with either of these ideas, but didn't think much of having it all pre-planned by about the usual "organisers" wielding loudhailers. "This is what democracy feels like"? I don't think so. Still, Princes Street is a busy shopping road and while we were there we attracted lots of attention, people coming out of shops and watching what we were doing. We didn't get harassed by any of the shoppers I saw, they all seemed quite supportive.

After about 15 minutes we were told to stand up again, and marched to the end of Princes Street before turning left and heading up into the old town. At this point something very odd happened. I was not quite at the front of the march, and suddenly the section I was in stopped behind a banner and started being led in slogan chanting by some guy with a loud hailer. Meanwhile the very front of the march was heading away down the road. Then suddenly our chanting stopped and the loudhailer guy shouted "charge!". So we charged... until we met up with the front of the march. This all seemed very strange to me, as we weren't charging to run away from anyone, or to break through a line of police, or even because it was important to get somewhere fast. It almost seemed like the organisers were doing it to make the march more exciting. Anyway, this whole stop-chant-charge thing was repeated with us several times. I saw other sections of the march doing it too. Very strange.

After we turned off Princes Street, the march was suddenly restricted to one lane, with the opposite lane of traffic still going by as if nothing was happening. This didn't seem like stopping the city. So at a junction, some of us vaulted the fence and sat down in the middle of the other lane. Suddenly we had stopped not only the whole road, but also effectively stopped more roads which led to that junction. A lot of marchers started following our example just as the police were coming along to nick the group of about 7 of us who started the action. Nice one! Suddenly there were too many people sitting down for the police to harrass individuals. People started drumming, playing trumpets etc; there was a feeling among folk I spoke to of "At last, something's happening that the police didn't plan for". Some of us started running back down the road opening sections of fence so more people could join us.

At this point something almost unbelievable happened. All the traffic in the whole road and junction was stopped, and the motorists weren't getting angry, so there was no risk to people involved in the direct action at that time. But stewards, _working with the police_ started closing over the sections of fence that we had just opened, forming lines, around the fence, and ordering marchers not to go over and join us. I don't claim that everyone wanted to, not everyone believes in illegal protests, but at least some folk who wanted to help us were actually stopped by the organisers from doing so.

Anyway, the police started showing signs of boxing us in, so we decided to keep moving and find another target. We followed the march but stayed on the "wrong" side of the road. It was now that we saw how effective we'd been. Traffic was tailed back for ages and in several directions because we'd blocked one key junction. We actually couldn't find anywhere near the remaining march route that wasn't gridlocked! But still, motorists were supportive and people were looking out of houses and shops, waving their own banners and doing peace signs.

Finally we realised that the march was finishing up at the Meadows. This has to be one of the least visible places in Edinburgh, at least on that particular day. There were hardly any members of the public about to see us, though there was _no_ shortage of police. The Stop the War bus appeared again, and we realised we were going to be "treated" to an election rally by the anti-war candidates. Anyone who was up for direct action before was dispirited, and people started drifing home.

Now, I believe direct action is a key part of the anti war effort. But I would never stop people with different approaches from me (petition signing, praying, journalism, etc) from doing what they feel is their bit to stop the war. So I'm disgusted that the stewards, who are supposed to be as anti-war as everyone else, helping the police to suppress a peaceful protest just because it was spontaneous.
Who are the stewards, do they come from CND or one of the political parties? If it's the CND, then as a CND member myself I'm especially annoyed that an organisation I support would stop people taking part in peaceful anti-war activity.

And as for the pro-war politicians: if you believe that voting will make a difference, then by all means, "make them pay on the 1st of May".

Just don't stop other people making them pay in every day life. And when you call your march "Stop the City", don't be surprised if some people want to stop the areas that you hadn't planned to visit.

From a great vantage point above Waterloo Pl, I watched the whole procession as it left the meeting area and headed down princes st. I Then walked from the back of the march to the front (not arriving at the front till nearly at tollcorss!!), and I would estimate the turnout to be a healthy 15'000. Assuming my judgement is as far off as the British proper gander Broadcast Corporation's estimate of 5'000 I think we can safely say at least 10'000 people care enough about mindless slaughter they are willing to spend a day demanding it stoped.

Saturday's demonstration in Edinburgh (29th March) was a lack lustre affair which left more than myself feeling disappointed. The spontaneity of the previous Saturday, which culminated in a rousing march up The Bridges to St.Leonard's police station, was absent. I have commented at more length on the official stw.edinburgh message board under "Are we becoming too respectable?"

Comradely greetings to Toby whom I assume is the born again activist I spoke to briefly during refreshments at St.Leonard's. I heartly agree on the continued need for direct action.

DEC