The war protest

[El Commandante]

I've just got back from it and it was superb, there were so many people there from all walks of life. I personally saw members of the fire service, postal workers, nuns, students, representation from the teachers union. Basically people from all spectrums of life. There was a huge crowd of about 100,000 people, people from all over the country not just London. I spoke to a person from Manchester and he came down with about 20 other coaches full of people. I was pleased with the day and hoped that Bush and Blair would take notice.

But when I got home I put on the news and there was no mention of it as far as I could see on the local or national programmes. Is this because it portrays a message they don't like and can't profit from or were they dissappointed that there was no violence which they could use to their advantage to discredit their achievements.

Any one else who was there please add your opinions.

[Nickademus]

well i'm glad there wwas such solidarity. and i think you are right about the word getting out.

[El Commandante]

I'm also going to try and spread the word at my school and get some attention going from young people, there didn't seem to be many there. I guess they feel that they're not involved because they can still get there trainers and jeans. I just hope the that the school don't sanction our voices, they probably will, will have to go subversive then.

[Kez]

commandante, where do you live?
if you want you can control your regions branch of the
radical youth for change movement (ryc)

let me know as soon as possible

comrade kamo

[El Commandante]

I live in the heart of suburbia, North London, could you give me some details about ryc? Thanks.

[Freiheit]

It is a good thing to participate

[revolutionary spirit]

yes my brother was there today,i thought there was something like 50,000 people there but according to the police there was 15,000 people.But there was coverage of the event on the news,but near the end of the news I add.I would of been there myself but i couldnot find a worthy enough excuse to trick my parents,and plus i have next to no money,my apologies comrades.

Out of intrest my brother and i live in manchester,maybe it was he you conversed with :) but i'd say not.But conragulations comrade intaking part.

[El Commandante]

The police are either lying or hiding the truth (amount to the same thing) there were a lot more than 15,000 probably more than 50,000. Me and my friend were marching with a group from Manchester so maybe I saw him and didnt know, but there were a hell of a lot of people there.

[CommieBastard]

I have the same problem of lack of money, i simply can't be travelling to London...
to be frank, that's probably the main reason there weren't many young people there, we can't afford it...

[vox]

Here's what Reuters had to say about it, if anyone is interested:

http://www.commondreams.org/headlines01/1118-06.htm

vox

[Reuben]

Hi Comrades,

I was there and it was brilliant. I am sure there was there were more than 15000 people there. I was with Youth Action for Palestine.

At one point a police ofifcer threatened to nick me for making racially inflamtory comments on the streeet after I had not very intelligently enterred starbucks and shouted fuck starbucks, Fuck Capitalism Fuck the war. I asked the officer what I said that was racially inflamatory. He said that using the word "fuck" was racially inflamatory because it is of anglo-saxon descent.

I still can't work what the hell he was on about. Obviously not bright.

As I said, Great demo. I live in North london by the way and would like to get involved in Radical Youth For Change.


Yours In Struggle,

Reuben

----------------------------

Check out youth action for palestine www.geocities.com/youthactionforpalestine

[Son of Scargill]

The police will always massively underestimate any protests.It is not in their interests to admit the scale of dissent.The poll tax demo and anti-cruise protests were two examples I experienced.500,000 people estimated at 50,000,it was pathetic.Rest assured that most brothers and sisters know the true scale of the demo,and that for every person on the demo there are probably 10 to 20 others who couldn't make it to London.

[gooddoctor]

we managed to organise one coach from glasgow for students and anyone else who wanted to tag along. the police are bare-faced liers. there were easily more than 50,000 people, but i can't make any higher estimations because the scale was so immense. i was near the front of the procession from hyde park and when i arrived at trafalgar at around 1400 it was already packed. when i left trafalgar just before 1600 because we had to catch the coach back up north (godamit!), the procession still hadn't finished coming from the park. that must have made it atleast 2 kilometres long. man, it was beautiful, though quite serious and sombre. there was none of the festivities i saw in some direct action in glasgow recently. anyone who listens to us will question themselves and join us, but we are being silenced for no good reason and people are becoming angry and frustrated.
i watched the genoa video on the coach on the way down yesterday - powerful images man, beautiful people, good message. did anyone see the italian communist refoundation who annexed nelson's column, with really distinctive gold star flags? they had 150,000 people at one of their anti-war demos on saturday and there was even talk of a general strike in italy. genoa radicalised italy. that proves that our message will get through the bigger the anti-capitalist movement becomes. the next big protest round is brussels d14. the scottish trade union conference has opposed the war and is mobilising for the european summit in brussels on d14. i think this is going to be even bigger and more radical than genoa. it's going to blow the fucking lid open and mushroom in the imperialist bastards faces. i'm probably going to organise a coach with some of my comrades from the ssp and them visit my beloved amsterdam on the way back. what a nice way to start the holidays, revolution and ganja.

[El Commandante]

Quote: from vox on 10:59 pm on Nov. 18, 2001
Here's what Reuters had to say about it, if anyone is interested:

http://www.commondreams.org/headlines01/1118-06.htm

vox


That's a good article, the first one that I've read that isn't completely against the demo and full of biased lies.