News from the Sydney protest
The estimates were 20,000 people - easily. Again, we couldn't move - wall-to-wall people. Some reports from the media have signalled violence but there was none of that. There were many angry people, but the anger transferred into cold fury and determination to grow the protest, especially on this coming Sunday - see other postings for details.
The ALP was a presence, for the first time. The speaker from the Democrats noted the previous weak showing on their part whilst Democrats, Socialist Alliance and Greens have been there from the beginning. There was a call to support the real peace parties in the Saturday election.
A rep from the Sydney Uni student union gave a riveting speech that linked the invasion of Iraq with the government's asylum seeker program and a Jewish peace activist linked Iraq with the Palestine issue. It was wonderful. She noted there were Jews in the audience and that Jewish people have been in the forefront of activist movements throughout history. She was warmly received and highly welcomed.
Growing the protest is imperative. If it doesn't grow peacefully, it will grow confrontationally. The mood of the people at Town Hall showed that they were ready for it.
http://sydney.indymedia.org/front.php3?article_id=27823&group=webcast
