From Solidarity 3/14, 11 October 2002
Canterbury Coalition Against War brought three coachloads of people to the demonstration against war on Iraq on 28 September - people aged from 15 to 86, students, firefighters, other workers, pensioners...
Now, like anti-war groups across the country, they are organising for the Day of Action on Thursday 31 October.
Canterbury anti-war activist Sally Murdock told Solidarity: "We are calling a peaceful vigil at 5pm in the city (Buttermarket), and another protest at the university (4pm, Senate Building).
"Lecturers at the university are holding a lunchtime protest meeting.
"Our Coalition Against War has won an amazing response. We have had city centre stalls on Saturday mornings, and leafletted colleges and workplaces.
"The Coalition includes many different sorts of socialists, Labour Party members, people from Oxfam, people from the Green Party... One thing we're planning now is daytime leafletting of schools, done by mothers of young children who want to be active but can't make evening meetings.
"New people are getting involved all the time. With our activities on 31 October we can spread the message further, to thousands of people who would have heard about the 28 September demonstration only from the press or TV, or not at all".
From the Stop The War national office, Husniye Akpinar told Solidarity: "In London there will be a candle-lit protest at Downing Street, though the details are not decided yet. All across the country there will be local demonstrations, meetings, and other forms of protest".
With tensions and doubts still high in the USA's war coalition, it is still possible for mass protest to stop this latest US "globocop" enterprise - if we move fast enough.
No to Saddam! No to war!
Democratic revolution in Iraq, not US conquest!
* For Canterbury Coalition Against War, contact Sally Murdock at 07736 836 068.
Click here for the Stop The War website.
