50,000 rally against war

Below is the report taken from the front page of the Morning Star (15.10.01) the only daily paper to fully report the rally.

Over 50,000 peace campaigners marched through central London at the weekend to demand an end to the Afghanistan war.

The demonstration organised by the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament was the biggest peace march in the nation's capital for decades.

Police were forced to divide the march from Hyde Park to Trafalgar Square into three group to cope with the vast numbers who turned up to protest against the prolonged and systematic bombing of Afghanistan.

Banners held high, demanding an end to the war, protesters marched past Green Park, along Piccadilly, and as wall as Saturday shoppers and even tourists at Park Lane Hotel, the Ritz and Hotel Continental shouted messages of support.

The pensioners' movement, groups from mosques across the country and local branches of unions including MSF, ASLEF, NUT, CWU, UNISON joined the diverse crowds an the march.

And Trafalgar Square was full to bursting point as protesters packed into the central London landmark to hear impassioned speeches decrying the "brutal, callous bombing" by the US-British coalition.

CND chairwoman Carol Naughton received massive cheers from the crowd when she shouted "For Peace! For Justice!"

"The thousands here, who represent many more thousands across the country, know that this war is wrong and recognise that violence does not solve violence," said Ms Naughton.

"We demand that the government ceases the bombing and uses diplomatic and political means to bring those responsible for the US terrorist attacks to justice."

Music was provided by to the rally by the London Socialist Singers and Dexy's Midnight Runners singer Kevin Rowlands serenaded the crowd with an emotionally charged version of "You'll Never Walk Alone."

London Assembly Green Party leader Darren Johnson said that the perpetrators of the September 11 tragedy should be brought to justice through an international criminal court.

"At the moment, we have no coalition against terror, all we have is bombs."

He also strongly attacked President George Bush's Star Wars plans.

"If we want a secure and lasting peace, the millions and millions that are being squandered on nuclear weapons should be spent on fighting poverty."

Labour MP Paul Marsden pointed out that the parliament had yet to vote on the war.

"In Germany, the European Union and the US they have voted on the war, but not in Britain," he said.

"We have a presidential style government, without the president."

Messages of support for the demonstration were sent by UNISON, ASLEF, NATPHE, Alice Mahon MP, veteran left campaigner Tony Benn and Jeremy Corbyn MP.

Fire Brigades Union general secretary Andy Gilchrist sent a message of support to the demonstration.

It strongly condemned terrorist attack whether they were on the US, the occupied territories of Palestine or Afghanistan.

Labour MP Alan Simpson condemned the continuing bombing of Afghanistan.

"There is hardly any part of the country that hasn't been bombed. They are just turning rubble into more rubble," he said.

"They should be feeding the poor rather than bombing the poor."

Palestinian diplomat Afif Safieh told the crowds that the best retaliation is justice and he urged Western powers to work towards achieving peace in the Middle East.

The rally ended with a one-minute silence to remember those who died in the US terrorist attack and in the bombing of Afghanistan.