Scotland Says Stop the Slaughter!



More than ten thousand demonstrators gathered from across Scotland in Edinburgh to protest against the continuing slaughter in Iraq.

Organisers condemned the Lothian and Borders Assistant Chief Constable Malcolm Dickson who said he "could not guarantee public safety" on the demo. Despite this organisers had met with police to discuss the route and had given assurances that the event would be peaceful.

The Edinburgh Stop the War Coalition said Mr Dicksons remarks were "a thinly-veiled political intervention" and that the movement "reiterates its consistent position that we are a campaign committed to mass peaceful demonstrations and, at the appropriate times, non-violent civil disobedience to oppose a crime being committed by the British government". The demonstration was entirely peaceful.

Demonstrators filled Princes Street and sat down, holding a minutes silence for the dead in Iraq. A rally was held at the Meadows with speakers including MSP's Tommy Sheridan, Margo McDonald, John McAllion, Robin Harper and Lloyd Quinan. There were also powerful speeches from Iraqi exiles, school students, muslim representatives, Linsey German from the Stop the War Coalition in England and Michael Letwin a US trades-unionist who is convener of US Labor Against the War.

Local bands from Edinburgh Rock Against War rounded off the rally.

The event was a further demonstration of the commitment of the anti-war movement in Scotland to continue opposing the slaughter in Iraq.

More pictures: 1 :: 2 :: 3 :: 4 :: 5 :: 6 ::

First minister attacks SSP on war stance The Herald

Conflict backlash set to be big factor in Scottish assembly poll Financial Times

PRESS CONFERENCE CALLED TO DISCUSS WAR AND CRIMINALISING OF COMMUNITIES

[EMBARGO UNTIL 7.30 a.m. WEDNESDAY 26 MARCH 2003]

PRESS CONFERENCE

10 a.m., WEDNESDAY 26 MARCH 2003
COMMITTEE ROOM 4, SCOTTISH PARLIAMENT,
GEORGE IV BRIDGE, EDINBURGH


STOP THE WAR -
STOP THE CRIMINALISING OF COMMUNITIES!

NATIONAL MARCH ON THE UNITED STATES CONSULATE AND SCOTTISH PARLIAMENT ON SATURDAY 29 MARCH,
CALLED BY EDINBURGH STOP THE WAR COALITION & THE SCOTTISH COALITION FOR JUSTICE NOT WAR

ASSEMBLE 2 p.m. WATERLOO PLACE, EDINBURGH

Speakers Invited to Press Conference:
John McAllion MSP; Tommy Sheridan MSP; Aamer Anwar - Lawyer; Suspected Algerian 'Terrorist'; Wife of detained suspected 'terrorist'; Sana Sadollah, Iraqi Kurd; Muslim Association of Britain; Edinburgh Stop the War Coalition; S.T.U.C; Coalition for Justice not War.
[ENDS]
For more information, contact Aamer Anwar on 07980 443 807 or 0141 554 0999, Tommy Sheridan on 07887 795075 or Hugh Kerr on 0131 348 5631/07713 063647

ANTI-WAR MOVEMENT DECLARES THURSDAY AND SATURDAY DAYS OF ACTION

STAND IN SILENCE FOR PEACE; TEXT OR EMAIL FOR PEACE; LIGHT A CANDLE FOR PEACE; MARCH FOR PEACE
Opposition to the unjust, immoral and illegal bombardment and invasion of Iraq remains solid throughout Scotland. Tens of thousands demonstrated their opposition in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Dundee, Aberdeen and Inverness on Saturday.

An all-Scotland march and rally has been called for next Saturday, 29 March in Edinburgh. Thursday 27 March has been designated PEACE DAY:

11 a.m. – In schools, colleges, universities, workplaces, on the street – stop whatever you are doing and stand for peace in a minute’s silence mourning the civilians and combatants of all sides whose lives are gone. Display a white handkerchief or tissue paper as a symbol of peace and stand silently for a minute

1 – 2 p.m. – Text, email or phone your friends, your MSP and Jack McConnell, First Minister in particular with a simple message: ”March for peace – Saturday 29 March, 2 pm., Waterloo Place, Edinburgh. NO MORE BLOOD FOR OIL!

8 p.m. – midnight – Light a candle for peace and place it in your window. Remember the carmage, destruction and terror now unleashed in Iraq and indicate your support for peace instead of unjust war.

Commenting on the planned peace activities this week, Tommy Sheridan said,
”The attack on Iraq is unprecedented in terms of ferocity and destruction. Innocent children in a country with half the population under 15 will be casualties. Many will suffer horrible deaths. America’s desire to dominate our world must be checked. Bush and his gang are out of control. This is their war for their oil companies. The peace movement must not be side-lined. Participate in the actions on Thursday. Stand at 11 a.m. whereever you are for a minute’s silence in memory of all those who have so far been killed. Text and email as many people as possible between 1 and 2 p.m. And place a candle for peace in your window from
8 p.m. until midnight. Be in Edinburgh on Saturday 29th and march for peace.”
[ends]
For further info: Contact Tommy on 07887 795075 or Hugh Kerr on 07713 063647

Saturday 22nd March 2003 - Edinburgh Anti-War Demo

Click the link above for pictures of Saturdays demo.

Letter to the Herald

"How police in Glasgow caused more disruption
I'M sure that many of the demonstrators involved in Saturday's Glasgow protest against UK involvement in the destruction of Iraq would be happy to join me in praise of the Strathclyde Police force. Faced with a reckless and dangerous crowd of unarmed toddlers, school children, pensioners, and concerned adults who were walking up and down in a manner which can only be described as democratic the police immediately sent in their crack team of formation conga lines to assist demonstrators in forming a complete and protracted blockade of Sauchiehall Street.

Rather than allow citizens to proceed in the free, but slightly dull, expression of dissent, the guardians of our law and order insisted that we all stand together - sometimes very close together - in a mutual demonstration which caused immeasurably more disruption than a few circles of college students sitting down in the road ever could have. Not only that, but few of us who were corralled together at Holland Street could have failed to be moved, if not actually aroused, by the colour-co-ordinated ranks of police, the leading foot of each one teasingly advanced, hips cocked, and one hand thrust into the belt of a brother (or sister) officer in a display of frank affection that brought tears to many eyes. (Although obviously some of the smaller children may have been crying because they were scared and weren't permitted to leave and go to the toilet for over an hour.)

How cheering it is to think that in one afternoon, the Strathclyde Police have given so many youngsters a thorough grounding in British civil liberties and have overturned their boring peaceful and non-confrontational practices, as employed for years at Faslane and during other non-violent protests against violations of international law. Hats off to the boys and girls in blue - and keep practising that footwork. "

A L Kennedy, c/o Antony Harwood, 1 Putney Bridge Approach, London.

Ian Bell - Doing it for the Kids

"He is, without doubt, the loudest one-man band around, but he has to be. The Scottish Socialists were one of the unintended consequences of devolution and the governing parties, Labour in particular, loathe them. They spare no effort to shut Sheridan up. The more they try, the more he talks. But not even Tommy's megaphone oratory could have drawn thousands of school students onto the streets of the capital last Wednesday afternoon." Sunday Herald