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The personal flag of George Washington during the Revolutionary War
Posted on 09/28/2002 12:42:18 PM PDT by adam stevens
50,000 in London Protest Iraq Action Sat Sep 28, 2:38 PM ET By AUDREY WOODS, Associated Press Writer
LONDON (AP) - More than 50,000 Britons from all regions, ages and social backgrounds, marched in central London Saturday, urging Prime Minister Tony Blair ( news - web sites) and President Bush ( news - web sites) not to invade Iraq.
AP Photo
As they wound their way from Embankment on the River Thames to Hyde Park, many of the demonstrators 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.
"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 the crowd. "We must see it is not allowed to happen."
Tam Dalyell, who holds the title father of the House of Commons, said the Iraq dilemma was the most dangerous standoff since the Cuban missile crisis.
"We are sleepwalking to disaster," he said.
Streams of people poured out of subway stations near the march's starting point and demonstrators at the back of the march were still setting off after those at the front had reached Hyde Park, more than a mile away.
Scotland Yard said it was still working on a crowd estimate but that there were more than 50,000 demonstrators.
Andrew Burgin, of the Stop the War Coalition, which helped organize the march, said there were 250,000 people and added that the crowd was still growing.
"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. She said it was not right to kill innocent Iraqis in order to topple their leader.
Irial's mother, Anthea Eno, said she would support an attack on Iraq if it had United Nations ( news - web sites) backing, but added that she did not expect that to happen.
The march came as Britain and the United States worked together on a draft resolution on Iraq which they plan to propose to the United Nations.
Blair has been Bush's staunchest ally on Iraq and last week released a dossier claiming Saddam Hussein ( news - web sites) has stockpiled chemical and biological weapons, and is trying to develop nuclear arms.
Legislators from the prime minister's own Labor Party are among the leaders of the Stop the War Coalition, which organized the march with the Muslim Association of Britain.
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.
London Mayor Ken Livingstone said the wrong motivations were driving the confrontation with Iraq.
"It's not about defense of British people or British interests, it's so that corrupt American politicians can get their hands on Iraqi oil," he told reporters.
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50,000 PEOPLE ARE DEMONSTRATING IN LONDON AGAINST WAR: Though the press accounts probably won't make a lot of it, that's less than 1/8 as many as demonstrated against a ban on fox-hunting. (And the foxhunting crowd was, um, more striking in ways other than mere numbers). I think that means the antiwar protests deserve less than 1/8 the attention.
Although it is fun to mock the pacifists, they deserve more attention as they are working against America and giving support to those who want to destroy us. In fact many of them probably are tyring to destroy us.
I have begun a Ping list to keep track of the Radical Left. If you are interested in joining or have found a relevant story drop me a line.
The personal flag of George Washington during the Revolutionary War
Most are representatives from the "religion of peace" and the far left however.
Satan's familiars in other words.
Regards, Ivan
If they ever did, I'd be on the first plane to America or Australia.
Regards, Ivan
Remember anybody can hijack a dinner party.
Mind you, that would be after manning the barricades and the counter-revolution had been lost. ;)
Regards, Ivan
Although it is fun to mock the pacifists, they deserve more attention as they are working against America and giving support to those who want to destroy us
Those are "pacifists"? Not hardly. Give them some time and instead of protesting they'll be celebrating.
Since you guys don't have the right to own firearms anymore, I'd say the takeover already happened.
Regards, Ivan
Have you got a more reliable upto date source for the actual numbers?
Certainly, not nearly as big as the Countryside Alliance.
Regards, Ivan
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