Take direct action to stop the war!

Submitted by Anon on 21 March, 2003 - 2:20

Compiled by Vicki Morris

This newspaper, Solidarity, is in favour of people taking direct action against the war. There has been debate about this in the movement, with, I feel, a false distinction drawn between demonstrations and direct action. Direct action advocates said marches by themselves could mobilise thousands (in the event, many hundreds of thousands!) but would stop little. The Stop the War Coalition said they wanted to mobilise those who would only march as well as those who would do more, and that mobilising many would encourage more of the more effective direct action. I think the STWC position was correct. It's getting harder to see where a demonstration ends and direct action begins. And not everyone turning up to Fairford airbase comes with wire cutters and a pair of running shoes!

Actions soon:

20-23 March:
Scottish Labour Party conference, Tony Blair due in Dundee on 21st, picket from 9.30am in the City Square.
Email: directactionscotland@yahoogroups.com

22 March:
Anti-war demonstration at Scottish Labour Conference, 11am in the Old Hawkhill, Dundee.
www.teknopunx.co.uk/actionscot.htm

22 March:
As well as the national demonstration called in London, the following actions are likely to proceed, but check with the organisers first.

  • Fairford demonstration. Fairford (in Gloucestershire) houses the US B2 Stealth bombers. Assemble 12 noon on the junction of High Street/Park Street Fairford USAF. www.gwi.org.uk
    • Coaches from Oxford £5: tickets from Quaker Centre, 42 St Giles; Uhuru Health Shop, Cowley Road; Inner Bookshop, Magdalen Road. Leaves 11am.
    • Coaches from Euston at 9am to return in the evening. Ticket 10 or £5 concessions. Crash accommodation is available. Telephone: 07817 061183 or email fairfordcoachlondon@hotmail.com
  • Menwith Hill "foil the spy base". Menwith Hill (North Yorkshire) is the largest electronic monitoring station in the world and a key base for the Star Wars project. To "foil the base" (disrupt the satellite signal receivers) there has to be as much foil in the air as possible. Bring foil kites, foil balloons, foil puppets, etc.

5-6 April:
Reclaim the Bases A weekend of protest and direct action at military bases across the UK. By disrupting the daily activities at military bases we can have a direct effect on war preparations, so get organising your action at your local base now-planning meeting on 2 March.
www.reclaimthebases.org.uk

22 April:
Really Big Blockade, Faslane naval base, Scotland. Help close down Britain's Trident base. Scottish CND: 0141 423 1222.
email big_blockade@hotmail.com or visit www.banthebomb.org

"Direct action is back on the agenda. 2003 kicked off with railworkers in Scotland refusing to move ammunition headed for Iraq, the first anti-war industrial action in decades. RAF Fairford, home to US stealth bombers on their way to murder Iraqi civilians, is becoming a major focus for actions. The night war is declared, thousands of people will block city centres across the country in a massive show of popular opposition to the war. Government ministers can no longer expect to carry out their normal engagements without opposition. While the bombs are dropping there will be no business-as-usual for those responsible." (Quote from Schnews)

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