Shoppers and workers in Swindon town centre this lunchtime were slightly bemused to find George W Bush explaining his plans for global domination via a megaphone. A closer inspection revealed that he was actually a Swindon Stop the War Coalition activist in a rubber mask.
"How did my oil get under their sand?"
"Whatever you say George"
Protest songs
War memorial
With the war memorial as a backdrop, still resplendent in poppies and wreaths in memory of all those who died in the two world wars to end all wars, a small group demonstrated their opposition to the visit of the Toxic Texan to our country.
As well as "Bush" and "Blair" greeting passers-by, there was some singing and playing of guitars, poetry, street theatre, speeches and skipping for peace (with a long improvised skipping rope).
A group of police numbering between two and five over the course of the protest kept an eye on proceedings from outside a nearby shop, but evidently they did not think any crimes were being committed.
After about an hour, the demonstrators packed up and dispersed in an orderly fashion to return to their jobs and lives, but they have promised to be back tomorrow evening for more of the same and a bit of statue toppling. All welcome.
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Thursday 20th November 6pm
Bush Statue Toppling
The Parade, Swindon, at the Fleming Way end (outside Debenhams)
More info:
http://freespace.virgin.net/swindon.stopwar/events.htm
======================================================
Some coverage of today's protests in London from the Beeb: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/low/uk/3283657.stm
A report from the Beeb's embedded journalist in Buckingham Palace: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/low/uk_politics/3283373.stm
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Good luck to everyone who's going to London tomorrow, look after each other and watch out for the 'anti-terrorism' security measures.
As well as "Bush" and "Blair" greeting passers-by, there was some singing and playing of guitars, poetry, street theatre, speeches and skipping for peace (with a long improvised skipping rope).
A group of police numbering between two and five over the course of the protest kept an eye on proceedings from outside a nearby shop, but evidently they did not think any crimes were being committed.
After about an hour, the demonstrators packed up and dispersed in an orderly fashion to return to their jobs and lives, but they have promised to be back tomorrow evening for more of the same and a bit of statue toppling. All welcome.
======================================================
Thursday 20th November 6pm
Bush Statue Toppling
The Parade, Swindon, at the Fleming Way end (outside Debenhams)
More info:
http://freespace.virgin.net/swindon.stopwar/events.htm ======================================================
Some coverage of today's protests in London from the Beeb:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/low/uk/3283657.stm A report from the Beeb's embedded journalist in Buckingham Palace:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/low/uk_politics/3283373.stm ======================================================
Good luck to everyone who's going to London tomorrow, look after each other and watch out for the 'anti-terrorism' security measures.
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Comments
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congratulations Swindon!
19.11.2003 21:36
x
purple pixie
Thankyou Swindon from George W Bush
24.11.2003 16:12
Anyway, I am over here to talk to my best friend Tony Bleet. He is a mighty fine man and will do anything for me. I said to him a while back I had this problem that a whole load of American oil has somehow got hidden under the Arab sands. They must have plumb stolen it. So we need to send some soldiers to get that oil back.
Tony is a mighty clever man and told me that folks don't want to fight just for oil, so we had to make up some stuff about democracy. He says he tried it before in Serbia and Afghanistan and it fools them every time. Hell I love democracy, mind you it helps if your brother is counting the votes. We made up some stuff about weapons that saddam had, sure sounded mighty convincing, cos we had sold him a pile of stuff. You know some people think I'm stupid, but I sent those weaopns inspectors to Iraq to make sure those weapons had all been destroyed before I attacked. Not so stupid, huh.
So I asked Tony if he would send some young British boys to fight and die to make me and my daddy richer. A mightly noble cause. Tony asked if he should send his own boy You-anne, but I told him we don't want no rich white boys bleeding on the sand. I have a whole army of black and brown and Latino boys mainly poor and expendable. I said to Tony, you send the sons and brothers and fathers of your working people. They don't mind dieing to put up the share price of Bechtel and Exxon. Send the young men from Swindon.
The only bad thing about my visit, was you British people are mighty careless with matches. Every time I see the folks waving "old Glory" to say welcome to me, there is an accident with careless smokers and it catches fire. You folks are sure bad at making statues as well, cos I seen plenty of you made fine statues to welcome me, and then they all fall over.
I hope all you young folks join the army real soon, cos I need you in Iraq and North Korea.
George W Bush
e-mail:
Thepresident@whitehouse.gov