Globalise Resistance

Stop the War Coalition

The Stop the War Coalition brings together groups and individuals around the single demand Stop the War.

Actions in the UK So Far

Thousands have protested against the war so far - largely unreported in the mainstream media. Please send us reports of actions near you.

Anti-war actions in the UK have so far included:

Wednesday 5 December 2001
Hendon, London
Over 80 picket meeting by War Minister Geoff Hoon, who is prevented from speaking.

Saturday 1 December 2001
Colchester
100 people take part in a torchlight demonstration against the war, including Essex University students, anti-globalisation protesters and the local peace movement.

Friday23 November 2001
Birmingham
70 members of Birmingham University Stop the War Group and supporters protest loudly against Tony Blair as he comes to to university to open a new building.

Sunday 18 November 2001
London
100,000 people march against the war. 42 coaches come from Birmingham alone. Most media report police “estimate” of 15,000.

Thursday 15 November 2001
Dundee
180 attend protest against the war.

Monday 12 - Saturday 17 November 2001
London
At LSE Anti War Week 100 come to hear Gary Young and 60 to hear Tony Benn
Luton
40 attend Stop the War meeting at the university.

Saturday 10 November 2001
Huddersfield
Over 300 protesters march through Huddersfield.
York
250 people march against war. After the march a People’s Parliament is held, and local activists, students and poets express opposition to the war.
Leicester
3500 (police estimate!) march against war, the largest demo in Leicester for years.

Friday 9 November 2001
Birmingham
200 attend Artists Against the War evening of music and poetry.

Saturday 3 November 2001
Newcastle
600 march against war
Manchester
2500 people march against the war.

Thursday 1 November 2001
London
100 students and staff attend Goldsmiths College SU anti war rally.

Tuesday 30 October
Guardian poll shows majority believe bombing should pause to allow aid into Afghanistan.

Monday 29 October
Mirror has front page headline This War is a Fraud. Inside is two-page article by John Pilger.

Saturday 27-Sunday 28 October 2001
Sheffield
1700 protest against the war
Glasgow
2000 people blockade Ministry of Defence
Preston
600 demonstrate against war
Bury
200 demonstrate against war
Portsmouth
200 demonstrate against war
Chichester
150 demonstrate against war
Whitstable
150 attend debate about the war

Wednesday 24 October 2001
Newcastle
50 people attend teach-in at Newcastle University Student Union.
Plymouth
50 people attend anti-war meeting.

Tuesday 23 October 2001
Plymouth
30 join weekly vigil against the war.

Saturday 20 October 2001
Exeter
700 demonstrate against the war.
Blackburn
1000 demonstrate against the war.
Canterbury
480 demonstrate against the war.
Shrewsbury
150 demonstrate against the war.
Colchester
200 march against the war.
London
300 attend teach-in against the war at SOAS (School of Oriental and African Studies, London University.)
Tooting, South London
50 people attend a Stop the War street meeting. £160 is collected for the Coalition.

Friday 19 October 2001
Birmingham
110 people join a protest outside Clare Short’s surgery.
London
150 people attend a local meeting anti-war in Clapham, South London.
London
60 people attend a local anti-war meeting at Somers Town, Central London.
Abergavenny
130 people attend anti war meeting.

Thursday 18 October
Mirror‘s front page supports aid agency calls for a pause in the bombing. Paul Foot has half a page attacking the war. Mirror readers vote for an end to bombing by 1272 to 1161.

Monday 8 - Sunday 14 October 2001
Scarborough
60 people attend anti war meeting
Liverpool
300 attend anti war meeting
Southampton
50 attend Southampton Institute Stop the War meeting
London
50 attend South Bank University Stop the War meeting.
Sheffield
40 attend local Stop the War meeting in Pitsmoor, 30 attend meeting in Heeley, 20 attend first meeting of Healthworkers Stop the War
Birmingham
12 people attend workplace Stop the War meetings at Selly Oak Hospital and Lancaster House council office.
Manchester
20 attend Stop the War meeting in Salford, 25 in Bury, 50 in Withington, 17 in Oldham, also meeting in Bury. Activists’ meetings of 20 at Salford Uni and Manchester Metropolitan Uni. Workplace meetings at Manchester Town Hall (11 people) and Hope Hospital (10 people.)
Leytonstone, London
120 people attend anti war meeting
Sunderland
70 students hold debate at Sunderland University
London
90 people at meeting at University College
Cardiff
90 students hold debate at Cardiff University
London
100 staff and students at meeting
Totnes, Devon
400 join anti war march
Edinburgh
300 attend teach-in at Edinburgh University
Exeter
150 join anti war vigil
Penzance, Cornwall
70 at anti war vigil
Bury
60 at launch meeting for Stop the War
Hemel Hempstead
40 people attend vigil.
Rotherham
Over 70 people attend anti war meeting
Nottingham
250 attend anti war meeting
Chesterfield
Over 90 at anti war meeting
Liverpool
Over 350 at anti war rally

Saturday 13 October 2001
London
50,000 people join CND anti-war march. Rally completely fills Trafalgar Square. Major presence from British Muslim community. 11 coaches come from Birmingham alone.
Glasgow
6000 protest against the war. Mass sit-downs in Queen St outside armed forces recruitment centres. Speakers include George Galloway MP, Tommy Sheridan MSP, firefighters’ union.
Keele
60 people attend anti war demo
Halifax
Anti war vigil at Peace Hall addressed by Alice Mahon MP, Cllr Mohammed Najib, tenants’ rights campaigner, veteran and SWP speaker.

Thursday 11 October 2001
London
250 people attend Newham Stop the War

Wednesday 10 October 2001
Keele
Standing room only at an open forum at Keele University on the bombings in Afghanistan.
London
800 attend Media Workers Against the War rally: speakers include John Pilger, Paul Foot, Rosie Boycott, NUJ General Secretary John Foster
London
100 attend Stop the War meeting at King’s College; 120 attend at Kingsway College; 120 attend at the LSE.
Manchester
250 attend teach-in at Manchester University Students Union. Bouncers turn away at least fifty more. About 80 people attend separate event in Middle Eastern Studies department.
Newcastle
Close to 200 people attend a meeting at the Friends Meeting House, addressed by a CND speaker, an SWP speaker and an Afghan refugee currently resident in Sighthill.

Monday 8 October 2001
London
Over 1000 people attend anti-war protest in Trafalgar Square, marching down Whitehall to join protesters at Downing St. Speakers include Bruce Kent, Tony Benn, Socialist Alliance.
Bristol
Over 200 people attend vigil.
Plymouth
60 people attend vigil, anti war coalition formed.
York
100 attend vigil held in city centre.
Sheffield
300 join anti-war protest
Birmingham
300 join anti-war protest
Manchester
250 join anti-war protest
Leeds
200 join anti-war protest
Newcastle
Over 100 people attend a vigil at the Monument.
Nationally
Vigils/protests take place in dozens of other locations including Barnsley, Southampton, Nottingham, Walsall, Coventry, Luton, St Alban’s, Watford, Northampton, Cardiff, Swansea and Brighton.
London
60 students attend Stop the War meeting at Goldsmith’s College.

Saturday 6 October 2001
London
100 people attend a vigil organised by Dulwich and Peckham Stop the War Coalition.
York
York Against the War hold a 100-strong march through the city centre, followed by speeches by members of the Green Party and Socialist Alliance.

Monday 1 October 2001
London
Over 80 people attend meeting in Hackney and set up local anti-war group. Speakers include Diane Abbott MP, CND speaker, Socialist Alliance.

Monday 1 - Sunday 7 October 2001
Birmingham
450 people (and a Panorama film crew) attend the Birmingham Stop the War meeting. This is the biggest political meeting in Birmingham since the miner’s strike. Artists Against the War have organised a brilliant fundraiser in Birmingham’s premier black arts centre. People want to get organised: one telephone call to Central Mosque resulted in them providing three free double decker coaches for Saturday’s demo (in addition to CND’s two coaches).
London
250 come to the Stop the War meeting at SOAS on Wednesday and 90 to the meeting at UCL. 120 attend Stop the War meeting in Leytonstone, speaker Bruce Kent. 17 people attend workplace meeting for Waltham Forest Social Services, and 10 at Mile End Hospital. Over forty BBC workers come to a Stop the War meeting at London TV Centre.
Guildford
65 attend Stop the War Coalition meeting.
Walsall
50 attend Stop the War Coalition meeting.
Stockport
100 attend Stop the War Coalition meeting: they are organising a coach for the demo on Saturday 13 Oct.

Friday 28 September 2001
York
Over 70 local people attend an anti-war meeting, which set up York Against the War and agreed to affiliate to the national Stop the War Coalition.

Thursday 27 September 2001
London
150 people attend anti war meeting in Islington with Jeremy Corbyn MP, including refugees and people from the Turkish community.

Wednesday 26 September 2001
London
Over 90 people attend anti-war meeting in Haringey with Bruce Kent and others, splitting up after the meeting to plan local activities.

Tuesday 25 September 2001
London
400 strong meeting in London called from the 2000 strong Friday meeting is addressed by Tony Benn, Jeremy Corbyn and Tariq Ali. Representatives of rail union ASLEF, Greater London Association of Trades Councils and Trade Union CND attend, plus two NUS executive members.

Monday 24 - Sunday 31 September 2001
Preston
Over 100 students attend Stop the War meeting at University of Central Lancashire.
Canterbury
80 students attend Stop the War meeting at Kent University.
Aberdeen
90 people attend Stop the War Meeting.
Oxford
250 attend Stop the War meeting.
Nelson
40 attend Stop the War meeting.

Monday 17 - Sunday 23 Septemberr
Protests in Todmorden, Newcastle, Swansea, Milton Keynes, Brighton and Cambridge.

Sunday 23 September 2001
Hebden Bridge
Vigil addressed by Alice Mahon MP.

Saturday 22 September 2001
Glasgow
1000 on CND demo
London
5000 outside Downing Street in London at vigil called by CND.
Cardiff
Coalition meeting of 80 people - demo called for Saturday 6 October.
Birmingham
Over 300 people join a vigil in Victoria Square
Manchester
400 on vigil called by CND, GR, Green Party and others.
Leeds
Over 150 people attend anti-war rally
Bradford
200 on demo addressed by Alice Mahon MP.

Friday 21 September 2001
London
2000-strong Stop the War coalition meeting in Friends Meeting House with Jeremy Corbyn MP, Tariq Ali, Liz Davies, Helen John, John Rees, Bruce Kent.
Brighton
90 at initial Stop the War meeting.

Thursday 20 September 2001
Glasgow
200 at Scottish Socialist Party meeting against the war.

Wednesday 19 September 2001
London
120 staff and students at City and Islington College meeting against war are addressed by Jeremy Corbyn MP and Weyman Bennett of the Socialist Alliance.
Portsmouth
180 at Stop the War coalition meeting
Edinburgh
Scottish Socialist Party meeting on the war - 100 attend.
Sheffield
120 at SWP meeting against the war.

Tuesday 18 September 2001
London
Over 500 people gathered outside Downing St to take part in an anti-war protest, organised by ARROW at short notice.

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