Over 50,000 demonstrators gathered for a Nov. 18 rally in London against the war in Afghanistan, marching from Hyde Park to Trafalgar Square. Organized by the Stop the War Coalition, the protesters ranged from the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament to British Muslim groups.
Stop the War committee member Mike Marqusee said he was delighted with the "very diverse" turnout. "We are hoping to send out a clear message that Tony Blair does not speak for Britain and we hope that message carries across Britain and across the world. We believe that this march reflects both the scale and diversity of anti-war opinion in this country. Our campaign will not end until the war ends and Britain and the US stop the bombing."
In Canada, about 15,000 people took part in the Nov. 17 Day of Non-Violent Action for Global Peace and Justice, organized by the September Eleventh Peace Coalition.
The largest rallies took place in Vancouver (estimated at 5,000 by local organizers), Montreal (3,500), Ottawa and Toronto. The Ottawa event coincided with a meeting of GŠ20 finance ministers; police made several arrests and attacked a number of demonstrators despite the overwhelminging peaceful nature of the demonstration.
Other protests were held in Victoria, Nanaimo, and Nelson, BC; Winnipeg; Guelph and St. Catharines, Ontario; and Halifax and Wolfville, Nova Scotia.
Thousands of people took to the streets against the war in many Greek cities on Nov. 8. The US embassy pressed the major TV stations not to mention the massive demonstration in Constitution Square in Athens. The famous Greek copmposer Mikis Theodorakis, addressed the rally.
After greetings and speeches from the organizers, the demonstrators marched to the US embassy. Demonstrations were also held in Thessaloniki, where the center of the city was filled with peace supporters, trying to send their message: "No subjection to imperialism, No Greek participation in the war."
Massive rallies were held in Patra, Aigio, Kalamata, Giannena, Kavala, Kozani, Ptolemaida, Igoumenitsa, Trikala and in other towns of Greece.
Alina Lebdeyva and the red carnation
Her weapon was a red carnation. Her enemy was war. And she struck a royal cheek three times to register her protest. A 16-year-old schoolgirl momentarily brought to the front pages of some newspapers the fact that there are people all over the world who are against the bombing of Afghanistan. Alina Lebedyeva is a student in Grade 11 in Riga, capital of the Baltic state of Latvia.
She said: "I did it because I am protesting British involvement in the bombing of Afghanistan and Latvia's attempt to join NATO." And for her action of slapping Prince Charles three times with a red carnation, she faces a possible 15 years in jail.