Organizers of Antiwar Movement Plan to Go Beyond Protests
By Glenn Frankel. Washington Post Monday, March 3, 2003; Page A14
LONDON, March 2 -- The people who helped organize the largest worldwide peace demonstration in history last month say they are not through yet.
More than 120 activists from 28 countries emerged from an all-day strategy session here this weekend with plans not just to protest a prospective U.S.-led war against Iraq but to prevent it from happening. They want to intensify political pressure on the Bush administration's closest allies -- the leaders of Britain, Italy and Spain -- and force them to withdraw their support, leaving the United States, if it chooses to fight, to go it alone. And they intend to further disrupt war plans with acts of civil disobedience against U.S. military bases, supply depots and transports throughout Europe.
Finally, if war breaks out, they say, they will demonstrate in towns and cities around the world on the evening of the first day, and hold a worldwide rally on the following Saturday that they hope will rival or surpass their efforts of Feb. 15.
"We still believe we can stop this war before it begins," said Chris Nineham, one of the British organizers of this weekend's conference, held at the Stop the War Coalition's offices in northeast London. "But if not, we're putting the warmongers on notice that there will be massive protests on the day war breaks out and the following weekend."
Organizers of Antiwar Movement Plan to Go Beyond Protests
By Glenn Frankel. Washington Post Monday, March 3, 2003; Page A14
LONDON, March 2 -- The people who helped organize the largest worldwide peace demonstration in history last month say they are not through yet.
More than 120 activists from 28 countries emerged from an all-day strategy session here this weekend with plans not just to protest a prospective U.S.-led war against Iraq but to prevent it from happening. They want to intensify political pressure on the Bush administration's closest allies -- the leaders of Britain, Italy and Spain -- and force them to withdraw their support, leaving the United States, if it chooses to fight, to go it alone. And they intend to further disrupt war plans with acts of civil disobedience against U.S. military bases, supply depots and transports throughout Europe.
Finally, if war breaks out, they say, they will demonstrate in towns and cities around the world on the evening of the first day, and hold a worldwide rally on the following Saturday that they hope will rival or surpass their efforts of Feb. 15.
"We still believe we can stop this war before it begins," said Chris Nineham, one of the British organizers of this weekend's conference, held at the Stop the War Coalition's offices in northeast London. "But if not, we're putting the warmongers on notice that there will be massive protests on the day war breaks out and the following weekend."
