Half Million Say No to Blair and War

Author: Independent Media Center

Topic: Articles

In the largest peace demonstrations in the U.K. since the Vietnam era, up to a half million persons demonstrated [ 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 ] in the streets of London on Saturday, September 28 against war in Iraq. This powerful output of opposition to U.S. and U.K. support for war focused particularaly on PM Tony Blair's singular support for a war of aggression.

The march began [ 1 ] at the Embankment around noon, and wound through central London, passing Parliament [ 1 ], Downing St. [ 1 | 1 ], and Trafalgar Square [ 1 ] before ending in Hyde Park. Marchers were already arriving in the park before most persons had started. A second march coming from the Strand merged with the main group at Trafalgar Sq. Police accompanying the demonstrators behaved peacefully with several exceptions [ 1 ], despite underestimating turnout beforehand. Side streets were reported to be full of protestors as well, diverted from the main body, with various media reporting [ 1 ] widely disparate numbers, the lowest and least coverage coming from U.S. outlets.

Six hours later, the majority of demonstrators had arrived in Hyde Park, at which point there was a rally against war and in support of a free Palestine [ 1 ]. The march was marked by banners, puppets, music [ 1 ], noise brigades, and burned effigies of Bush, Blair, and Italian PM Silvio Berlusconi. Opinions differ as to the potential effects of the march.

Similar protests were held throughout the world on Saturday. Over one hundred thousand demonstrated in Rome, while more actions were held in Cairo, Berlin (de), Dublin, Sydney and across New Zealand [ 1 | 2 ]. Even as political opposition to an Iraq war builds in the U.S., thousands gathered in San Francisco [ 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 ], and hundreds rallied in St. Louis for peace.

More information is available from this report (it) [ audio ], and past global Indymedia features [ Sep 27 | Sep 26 | Sep 17 | Sep 14 | Aug 21 | Aug 16 | Jul 30 ].

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