Labor Trade Unions Join 100,000 in London Anti-War March

Time of report: 5pm Saturday 5 August 2006 (from Parliament Square, London)

100,000 people have marched through London today to demand an
unconditional ceasefire in the Lebanon and an end to Tony Blair’s support
for American and Israeli war policies.

The march passed the US Embassy and Downing Street, where children’s
shoes were laid at the Cenotaph to draw attention to Tony Blair’s
complicity in the huge number of children killed in Lebanon. Lebanese and
British kids carried four coffins and also placed them at the Cenotaph.

The protest ended with a rally in a packed Parliament Square, addressed by
speakers including Walter Wolfgang, Bianca Jagger, speakers from Lebanon
and Palestine, Tony Benn, trade union leaders and others.

John McDonnell, MP poured shame on Tony Blair for traveling to the USA as
a guest of press baron, Rupert Murdoch and then takes off for his sunny
holiday whilst children are being killed in the Middle East as a result
of his support for the USA and Israel.

Diane Abbott MP demanded that there be a recall of Parliament and said
that she was ashamed of the Prime Minister.

Dawn Butler, MP, supported a recall of Parliament and called for an
immediate ceasefire so that the killing stops.

Louise Christian, human rights lawyer, said that what is happening in
Lebanon is a war crime and we all have a duty to speak out against the
slaughter of innocent civilians. You cannot stand by when children are
being slaughtered. And Tony Blair’s actions or ‘non-actions’ are as much a
crime as the actual crime itself.

Walter Wolfgang, recently elected to the Labour Party National Executive
Committee, said we were all at the demo to call for an unconditional
ceasefire. He spoke, he said, as a Jew, and he commended those Jews who
had fasted outside the Israeli Embassy on Thursday 3 August. He demanded
that the House of Commons should be recalled because every day more people
are being killed. End the occupation of Palestine, end the war in Lebanon.

Bianca Jagger said we want an immediate and unconditional ceasefire and
led the crowd in a chant for a ceasefire. She said she had been watching
the dead children on TV. How many more must be killed before Blair takes
action to ensure this happens. She read from Human Rights Watch report
indicating that the killings of civilians were not an accident but
deliberate war crimes.

Ishmael Patel, Friends of Al Aqsa, said Bush and Blair say that if we are
not with them with are with the terrorists. If being a terrorist is to be
against murder and wars then he was a terrorist and all of us at this
demonstration are terrorists and most of this country is terrorists. He
called shame on those ‘belly-dancing’ Arab leaders who remained ‘in bed’
with Bush and Blair whilst children and innocent civilians are being
killed. Our Prime Minister is not a leader, not a real politician; he is a
terrorist
in the true and real sense of the word.

Ex UK-ambassador, Craig Murray, said he was ashamed that his country was
led by such a man as Tony Blair. The demonstration still stretches up
Whitehall and that is because all of us are appalled by the situation.
Tony Blair is complicit in war crimes and it was time for him to b…..
off the world stage. US out of the Middle East, Israel out of Lebanon and
Blair out of Downing Street.

John Rees, national Sec of Respect. This war was not planned in Tel Aviv.
It was planned in Washington and London. This is an extension of the war
which started in Afghanistan, moved to Iraq and is now on its way to Iran
via Lebanon. If we don’t stop this now there will be a general Middle East
War. A battle between David and Goliath, Apache helicopters and F16 jets
against Katusha rockets. We are in solidarity with the ‘David’ resistance
against the Goliath warmongers. We have a Prime Minister who is undisturbed
by the death of many children. We must act against him and all be at the
Labour Party Conference demonstration in Manchester on 23 September.

Manuel Hassassian, Palestinian, said that the only two democracies in the
Middle East – Lebanon and Palestine – are being destroyed. He said that
Hamas and Hizbullah are not terrorists but freedom fighters. There is a
great shame in the Arab world where so many leaders are silent in the face
of oppressive war and occupations. We shall overcome.

Mark Serwotka, Gen Sec of the PCS union said that our government has
brought shame on this country. 300 kids under age of 12 have been killed,
over 900 civilians, aid convoys shot up. Bush and Blair say they are
against terror and yet when Israel engages in terror they remain silent.
Immediate ceasefire now and until that happens we will continue to protest.
He called for people to come to Manchester on 23 September to make their
protests known.

Somaya Ghanoushi of British Muslim Initiative said that Bush and Blair
are using the Israelis to carry out their war policies and the blood of the
dead children is on their hands. They have much blood on their hands since
the most recent killings are to be added to the other war crimes in Iraq,
Afghanistan and in Palestine.

Barry Camfield, Dep. Gen Sec of the T & GWU said he brought the greetings
of his union to this demonstration. They have written to the PM and all
MPS’ calling for an immediate ceasefire. What a shock that a Labour Prime
Minister was supporting murderous policies across the Middle East. On the
anniversary of his death Where now was Robin Cook’s ‘ethical’ foreign
policy. He addressed the Jewish people and called on them to reject the
Israeli state and join the rest of us in this fight against fascism and
imperialism.

Tony Benn, we have the support of all religions, all peoples and this is
not a religious war, but a war against the people of the world who are
opposed to an ‘imperial’ control of their countries. There will be no
peace for us until Tony Benn has left Downing Street.

Jeremy Hardy said we are united because we are human beings and not
divided by religion, nationality and politics. He wishes everyone Salaam
and Shalom.

Lindsey German, national convenor of StWC, congratulated everyone present
and said we are on the side of those suffering in the Middle East and not
on the side of the warmongers and killers of children. 50% of refugees in
Lebanon are children, 30% of the killed are children. We have to be on the
side of the Lebanese and Palestinian people who are suffering from
war and occupation. The people who perpetuate such suffering are
barbarians. They are demonizing their opponents, be that Hamas, Hizbullah,
Syria or Iran. You don’t have to agree in support of the politics of these
movements or governments to be against the US, UK and Israel today.

Darren Johnson, Green Party, said his Party calls for an immediate
ceasefire and that should be the policy of the British government. The
great shame of arms sales to countries such as Israel was a shame and must
be ended. It is time to start a new special relationship, not with Bush but
with the suffering people of Lebanon.

George Galloway, MP, yesterday Israel killed 33 Kurdish workers picking
fruit. Where are the people in Parliament who supported the Kurds to
excuse the attack on Iraq? They are now silent on these deaths. Hezbollah
is not nor
ever been a terrorist organization. If the US, UK and Israel win this one
don’t be an Iranian, a Syrian or anyone in any Arab country. If they lose
then don’t be a Mubarrak, a Saudi prince, a King of Jordan. Nasrullah
is a real leader of A
rab people not these ‘belly-dancing’ so called
leaders. In the same way as Castro and Chavez aren’t the real leaders in
South America.

Bruce Kent, CND, Blair is a war criminal and should be arrested as such.
When Israelis ask him why they are being attacked he tells them because
you are citizens of an apartheid state. There must be a boycott of Israel,
there
must be an end to arms sales to Israel, but be warned this is not an issue
of anti-semitism as many Jews are working against Israel and are with this
movement. On the Mountain of God all we come together, and live together.

Rose Gentle, Military Families Against the War, and mother of a soldier
killed in Iraq, said Blair will never win or be at peace so long as she
and people like her were alive. Over 200 military families are supporting
her and those families who had lost their children to war. He must answer
the question of why did they die. The situation in Iraq and Afghanistan is
not getting better as we are constantly told, it is getting worse.

Betty Hunter of the PSC said that Tony Blair says he is bringing about
peace but he is a liar. He could have helped bring about a ceasefire many
days ago had he not been so close to Bush. The Israeli war machine is now
adding Lebanon to its oppressive actions against the Palestinians. We need
a boycott of Israel, its goods and its sportsmen. People must join boycott
actions outside supermarkets and other paces where Israeli goods are on
sale until the occupation of Palestine and Lebanon has ended.

Message from City of Tyre to demonstration. Thousands of leaflets have
been dropped on our city today telling people to get out of the city by
tonight. Israeli actions must be stopped.

Jeremy Corbyn, MP. There are people here from all backgrounds demanding
that Tony Blair stop doing Bush’s bidding and start representing us. He
and many colleagues are disgusted at what is happening in Lebanon and
Gaza. There must be an immediate and unconditional ceasefire. We don’t
know how many have been killed, many more than we have heard about. We
need a ceasefire in Lebanon and a withdrawal of occupying troops from other
countries in the region. We salute the peace and justice movement across
the country, from Lebanon to Venezuela.

Billy Hayes, Gen Sec of CWU, this is an amazing demonstration representing
the real views of the British people. We have been watching terrible
scenes on our TV and our children who watch this, ask what it is all
about. When I try to explain my small child says why doesn’t Tony Blair
tell them to stop. Out of the mouths of children … He demanded that MPs
be recalled to Parliament to ensure that this country demands an immediate
ceasefire.

Brian Haw, who has ‘camped’ in Parliament Square, for five years to
protest against the killings and war and called for peace between all
peoples. He called for Blair to be sent to the Hague as a war criminal. He
was sick of being in the Square and people saying ‘see you next time’. How
many more times must they have to say that?

Dr Daud Abdullah, Muslim Council of Britain, the days of quick Israeli
victories are over. From now on there will be successful resistance to war
and occupation. There is now a resistance movement that can win. Killing
children means that the people are united in a way that has never happened
before. When the war is over and the people are successful we will bring
to court the war criminals responsible for the crimes they have committed.
He appealed to the people not to move from their homes because, if they
do, they will never return.

The Stop the War Coalition will continue with protests and demonstrations
so long as the ‘war on terror’ continues to produce such terror as we have
recently witnessed in Qanar, Baalbek and across the whole of Lebanon and
Gaza and until there is an end to war and occupation across the Middle
East. These protests will culminate in a demonstration at the Labour Party
conference in Manchester on September 23rd, demanding the withdrawal of
British troops from Iraq and an end to the government’s support for US
foreign policy.

For further information:
David Wilson 07951 579 064
Andrew Burgin 07939 242 229