To mark the first anniversary of the Lancet report on war-related deaths in Iraq, and to raise awareness about the Iraq body count, Voices for Creative nonviolence (USA) teamed up with Justice not Vengeance (UK) for an international bell-ringing ceremony in late October. Bell ringings also took place at impromptu times and locations throughout November.
The aim was to get 100 groups involved and for each group to ring a bell 1000 times to make 100,000 rings: The figure is taken from…
Inspired by “Camp Casey” in Crawford, Texas - the protest camp initiated by Cindy Sheehan whose son Casey was killed in Iraq last year - on 18 and 19 October relatives of British soldiers killed in Iraq set up camp outside the Ministry of Defence, opposite Downing Street.
Sheehan had met Rose Gentle at the end of September in the US during three days of anti-war protests - attended by Gentle and other members of bereaved British families. Cindy Sheehan is expected to return the visit…
NAME:
Smash EDO!
STARTED:The campaign against weapons makers EDO MBM, based in Home Farm Road, Brighton, began in spring 2004.
OBJECTIVES:Its objective is to nonviolently close down EDO's arms factory or, alternatively, convert its premises to civilian use. Despite having an arms company in the area Brighton Council receives funds as a “UN Peace Messenger city”.
SUCCESS SO FAR:There have been regular noise protests outside EDO since the campaign began, and several…
Here are two short reports from participants which, it is hoped, might enthuse you enough to join in with protests during October's "Keep Space for Peace" week (see box below).
Close it down!Chris Brennan writes...
On a sunny Saturday, 24 September, about 60 protesters marched around the old RAF Croughton site on the NorthantsOxon border which is acknowledged to house the infrastructure for US military and governmental communications between North America and Europe…
On 8 Nov 2004, after more than two months of aerial attacks, the US began its second major assault on Fallujah, devastating the city and killing hundreds of civilians. Serious war crimes were committed, including the bombing of a health centre and a shoot-to-kill curfew. UK forces played an active support role, with hundreds of troops redeployed from Southern Iraq to form part of a "ring of steel" around the city.
Today, an estimated 100,000 Iraqis who fled the attack have yet to…
On 24 September tens of thousands took to the streets in London and Washington DC to protest at the ongoing occupation of Iraq.
In the US the turnout was unexpectedly high, as many used the opportunity to vent their anger and frustration at a catalogue of disasters foisted upon the people by the Bush administration.
Speaking after the event, US War Resister David McReynolds commented: "24 September will go down in history as a genuine victory. It was a moment when people all…
At midnight on Friday 16 September, we were dropped off at the edge of the forest at Padworth, between the UK's nuclear weapons factories at Aldermaston and Burghfield, for a hike to the fence of Defence Fuel Support Point (DFSP) Aldermaston, we had enough food and water for a week, and huge banners saying, "Nukes Out", "US bases out of UK", "How many lives to the litre", and our flags.
At 1am we threw our bags over the fence and climbed in. We had a long walk/crawl to a…
As PN went to press, activists were gearing up for a week of direct action against the largest weapons fair in the world: DSEi (Defence Systems and Equipment International). Undeterred by reports of a planned exclusion zone around the London's ExCeL centre where the heavily-policed event is to take place, thousands are traveling to the capital from around Britain and Europe in a determined effort to shut down DSEi. In a bid to get you all out of your armchairs and off to the arms fair, Emily…
In a court hearing on 25 July, the Peace Tax Seven, who are seeking to direct their income taxes to non-military purposes, were once again denied permission for a full hearing in Britain.
The judge presiding over the case upheld a previous decision on the case which was brought to the High Court under the 1998 Human Rights Act. Article 9 of the act states that, "Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion." By being forced to pay taxes to fund the killing of…
Anti-war activists have called for solidarity as over 20 people face charges following the demonstration against George W Bush’s UK visit in June.
In recent weeks the Metropolitan Police have arrested several people identified from video footage taken on the day, house raids have taken place, and charges brought including for “violent disorder”. The police have a special operation dedicated to the demonstration called “Operation Spring Brook”.
A police appeal was printed in the…
On 11 June, a demonstration against arms manufacturers EDO/MBM Technology was held by campaigners in Brighton. Smash EDO claim the company manufactures components for weapons used in the Iraq war.
In 2004 Raytheon s
It is now ten years since the Army of the Republic of Srpska, with the support of the regime of Slobodan Milosevic, killed more than 8,000 Bosniaks in and around Srebrenica. All in the uniforms of the state we live in; therefore, in our name.
On Friday 13 May, 12 anti-nuclear campaigners established a peace camp on Drake's Island in Plymouth Sound, declaring it a nuclear-free state.
The protest, which lasted a week, highlighted the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) - currently
On 9 May, as the first BtB protester was being released from prison - after receiving a 14-day sentence for wanton vandalism in protest at new developments at AWE Aldermaston - Block the Builders (BtB) finally swung into action, with an early morning
“The summer time is coming and the leaves are sweetly blowing” - and in Iraq the slaughter goes on. And the plundering of Iraq's resources by the occupying powers.
What can a few idealists setting up a peace camp hope to do about it? Even if it is set up at RAF Brize Norton - largest UK air base and gateway to Iraq for thousands of British soldiers?
Clearly, the four-day presence of a peace camp, even though its events do include a march led by veterans opposed to the…
