HTTP://WWW.STOPNATO.ORG.UK
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AP (with additional material by BBC, Reuters and AFP). 28 September
2002. Protesters stage anti-war rally.

LONDON -- More than 150,000 Britons from all regions, ages and social
backgrounds, marched in central London Saturday, urging Prime Minister
Tony Blair and President Bush not to invade Iraq. 

As they wound their way from Embankment on the River Thames to Hyde
Park, many of the marchers stopped to shout through the gates of Blair's
10 Downing St. residence. 

"Tony Blair, shame, shame, no more killing in my name," went one chant. 

"Bomber Bush, Bomber Blair, we'll resist you everywhere!" chanted
British students at Saturday's march.

Police say they have so far counted more than 150,000 people and there
have been two arrests for minor public order offences. 

Organisers say 400,000 people will have joined in the march from the
Embankment past Parliament and up Whitehall to a rally in Hyde Park by
the end of Saturday. 

Mayor Livingstone told the BBC: "This is the largest march for peace I
have seen in 30 years." 

March leaders used bullhorns to shout through the gates of Blair's 10
Downing St. residence as they headed from Embankment on the River Thames
toward Hyde Park.

"Don't be bullied by Bush," read one placard. 

"No war for oil. Stop the war machine," said another.

Streams of people poured out of Underground stations near the march's
starting point and demonstrators at the back of the march were still
setting off from Embankment after those at the front had reached Hyde
Park, more than a mile (1.6 kms) away.

"We are sleepwalking to disaster," Tam Dalyell, who holds the title
father of the House of Commons, told the demonstrators in Hyde Park. 

He said the confrontation with Iraq was the most dangerous standoff
since the Cuban missile crisis.

Legislators from Blair's own Labor Party are among the leaders of the
Stop the War Coalition, which organized the march with the Muslim
Association of Britain to rally those who believe any war would kill
innocents and cause global political and economic instability.

"We believe it would be wholly immoral and wrong and criminal for the
United States and Britain to attack Iraq and inflict casualties upon
innocent people," Tony Benn, a former Labor Party legislator and veteran
left-winger, told a huge crowd seated in Hyde Park. "We must see it is
not allowed to happen." 

"Although when the bloodshed begins if it does criminal responsibility
for what has happened will rest with those who have taken that decision
there is a share of responsibility with us as well." 

Anas Al Tikriti, of the Muslim Association of Britain, said: "Maybe for
the very first time that all sectors of society... have come together
because they feel extremely concerned about the way our government has
been conducting itself in regards with the issues of Palestine and
Iraq," he said. 

And he said that the march, which comes on the eve of the start of the
Labour Party Conference, sent a clear message to Mr Blair and his
Cabinet. 

"Our government is acting in an unethical manner. This has to change,"
he said. 

Film director Ken Loach was among the demonstrators on Saturday. He
said: "We can't get involved in this war we can't consider murdering 
another 100,000 Iraqis simply to pursue America's interest in oil and
their dominance in the region."

Among those scheduled to speak at the rally were London Mayor Ken
Livingstone and former United Nations weapons inspector Scott Ritter. 

There were many families in the crowd, which included people pushing
small children in strollers and protesters of all ages and social backgrounds.

"Iraq is not our enemy, stop Bush," said a homemade banner carried by
Irial Eno, 12, who attended the rally with her sister, mother and grandmother.

"Iraq has already had lots of trouble," she said. "I just don't think
that Bush should bomb them. So many people will die just for one man,"
she said, adding that it was not right to kill innocent Iraqi people to
topple their leader Saddam Hussein.

"There must be some other way," said her mother, Anthea Eno. "People are
going to suffer, as always."

"People are out on the streets to show that not all Britons feel the
same as Tony Blair," said protester Zoolfikar Beig. "We don't want any enemies."

The march was also meant as a protest of Israel's policies in the West
Bank and Gaza, and many protesters expressed sympathy for the
Palestinian cause. 

"Stop Israeli war crimes," said one sign.

"These people are saying clearly two things -- no to war against Iraq,
yes to a Palestinian state," said Michel Massih, chairman of a group
called Palestinian Community. 

"Hopefully our leaders will see the huge feeling against the war," said
Anne Gleeson, a school catering assistant marching with her husband and
two children. All wore Palestinian scarves.

Ismail Adam Patel, head of the Muslim group Friends Of Al'Aqsa, said the
two issues were inextricable. 

"Until we solve the Palestine issue, we are not going to get any peace
in the Middle East. Why are we going after Iraq when Israel has far more
weapons of mass destruction?" 

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

ProletarianNews
http://www.utopia2000.org
with photos

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