Demonstration Outside the Labour Hall, 6th August 2005
MK Stop The War Campaigners gathered outside the Labour
Hall on Saturday 6 August between 2.00pm and 3.00pm to
distribute leaflets and to call upon the Labour Party and the Labour
Government to withdraw UK troops from Iraq. The demonstrators were
encouraged by a constant stream of passing motorists who waved and honked
their horns to show their agreement and support.
Tom Bolton of MK Stop the War said " We unreservedly
condemn the London bombings and send our condolences to the victims and
their families.. No disagreements with Government policy can justify these
acts.
We disagree with Mr Blair when he says there is no connection between these
bombings and the war in Iraq but we are calling for a change
of policy not because of any connection but because the policy itself is
wrong and because the killing of tens of thousands of Iraqi civilians most
of whom died through the actions of allied forces cannot be justified
either.
With more British soldiers being killed, with the escalation of anarchy and
violence in Iraq and with the threat of new measures to erode our civil
liberties at home, we need to speak out to denounce our continued
involvement in this carnage"
Demo - 2nd Anniversary of Invasion of Iraq
Saturday 19 March 2005, London
A number of Stop the War supporters from the
Milton Keynes group made their way to London to join the 150,000 protesters
for a march from Hyde Park to Trafalgar Square via the US Embassy in Grovesnor
Square. Below are some pictures from the demo.
Demonstration outside HMP Woodhill
Sunday 28th Nov 2004
A
rally took place outside Her Majesty's Prison at Woodhill, in
Milton Keynes, between 12:30 and 14:30 on
Sunday 28 November 2004, to protest against
the imprisonment without trial of detainees at Woodhill and Belmarsh
prisons.
The rally was attended by about 200 people, who braved
heavy rain, united in their reasoned opposition to arbitrary detention and
manifest neglect of justice.
The demonstration was entirely peaceful, having been
agreed upon in consultations between the Milton Keynes Stop War group and
local police officers.
It was addressed by an impressive array of speakers, with
support drawn from the following organisations: Stop Political Terror,
Campaign against Criminalising Communities, Liberty, Haldane Society of
Socialist Lawyers, the Muslim Parliament, Respect, the Socialist Party, the
Green Party and the Liberal Democrat Party.
It was reported by ITV Anglia and by BBC Look East. A coach brought
supporters from Birmingham. Two coaches from London were supported by Sadiq
Khan, Labour Party prospective parliamentary candidate for Tooting. A
minibus service between the rail station and HMP Woodhill was operated by
Milton Keynes Stop War group.
The
demonstration focused on the plight of Babar Ahmad, a
British citizen who was born and brought up in South London. He is now
detained at HMP Woodhill and faces extradition to the USA under the terms of
a treaty that many speakers identified as being deeply unjust and legally
flawed. The treaty makes no requirement for the USA to show reasonable cause
for extradition; all that is required by the agreement between David
Blunkett and John Ashcroft is that the USA provides a list of allegations.
Babar Ahmad has no opportunity to contest these claims.
Under the terms of the same agreement, such neglect of due
process would be inadmissible if the UK wanted to extradite someone from the
USA. Moreover, the US Senate has not ratified the treaty. Yet it seems that
Babar Ahmad faces continuation of this unjust process -- unapproved by
Parliament -- at his next appearance at Bow Street magistrates court on 16
December 2004, as a result of the Home Secretary's use (some would say,
abuse) of the Royal Prerogative.
The rally was addressed by Ashfaq Ahmad, a retired civil
servant who is the father of Babar Ahmad. He told how his son had been
arrested on 2 December 2003 and later found by a doctor, in the presence of
forensic medical examiners, to be suffering from more than 50 injuries,
including two which were potentially life threatening. No action has yet
been taken against security officers for these injuries.
Babar Ahmad was released on 8 December 2003, without any
charge being made against him. On 5th August 2004, he was re-arrested on an
extradition warrant from the USA, which likewise gives him no opportunity to
defend himself against any charge.
The
injustice of the treatment of Babar Ahmad, and of other detainees at
Woodhill and Belmarsh,
was protested in speeches by Dr Adnan Siddiqui (Stop
Political Terror), Saghir Hussein (criminal law solicitor), Dr G Siddiqui
(leader of the Muslim Parliament), Sait Akgul (Respect), Doug Jewell
(campaigns co- ordinator of Liberty), Steve Score (the Socialist Party),
Saleh Mamon (Campaign against Criminalising Communities) and Tom Bolton
(Milton Keynes Stop War group).
Natalia Garcia (solicitor to Woodhill and Belmarsh
detainees) carefully explained the ways in which the Anti-terrorism Crime
and Security Act, of 2001, and the Extradition Act, of 2003, leave lawyers
unable to represent their clients properly. She spoke of the despair felt by
the detainees.
The demonstration was very timely, coming at the end of a
week when no less a person than the Director of Public Prosecutions, Ken
Macdonald, had said that any move to abandon "fundamental
principles" of the justice system would undermine public confidence in
it. Likewise, this week, the United Nations Committee Against Torture called
on the British Government to review its policy of indefinite detention of
foreign terror suspects "as a matter of urgency".
Three
residents of Milton Keynes addressed the rally.
Alan Francis, representing the Milton Keynes Green Party,
said that many local residents had recognized the need for the construction
of a prison in the new city, but could never approve the idea that prisoners
were now being detained indefinitely without trial in their community. He
affirmed the commitment of the Green Party to oppose detention without
trial.
Jane Carr, the Liberal Democrat prospective parliamentary
candidate for Milton Keynes North East, brought to the meeting the good
wishes of Lord Goodhart, who recently made trenchant criticism of the US/UK
extradition treaty in the House of Lords. She reaffirmed the position that
detainees should either be released or brought to trial, as recently
demanded by Mark Oaten, the Liberal Democrat home affairs spokesperson.
David
Broadhurst, a member of the Milton Keynes Stop War group, read three
eloquent letters from detainees and a letter to Babar Ahmad from a child.
One letter concluded with these pleas: "If I am innocent, why am I in
prison? If I am guilty, why I can't stand trial like everyone else? If there
is so-called due process why can't it be applied on my case? Can you answer
my questions? Can you help me? Can you hear my voice and screamings?"
There was one ineffectual note of dissent from the rally's
insistence on justice for all. A small group of people carrying a Union flag
passed by, showing the slogan "no rights for terrorists". They,
like other citizens of Milton Keynes perhaps, may have been harbouring the
delusion that the detainees in HMP Woodhill are convicted terrorists.
In fact, they are people who have been imprisoned on a
presumption of guilt that has not been supported by evidence put to a jury.
They are denied all hope of defending themselves against unspecified charges
and all hope of release. The rally was united in its opposition to such
grave injustice.
David Broadhurst Milton Keynes Stop War group
To view a postcard sent by Baber Ahmed to MKSTW click
here
2nd
November 2004 - Naming the Dead
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To coincide with the Presidential Election in America, a
candle-lit commemoration attended by 40 or so people was held outside MK railway
station on November 2nd. 'MK Stop the War' Group read out the names of a great
number of those who have lost their lives during the Iraqi War. The 'Naming of
the Dead' Roll Call included many Iraqi civilian casualties together with names
of Allied soldiers, journalists and contractors. This was a very poignant and
sombre gathering which was attended by many members of the public.
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19 Nov 2003 - MK and national protests against Bush's visit... |
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19th November Anti Bush protest in Milton Keynes
A dozen or so protesters unfurled a banner across a footbridge over the M1
Motorway early on the first morning Bush spent in Britain. The banner drop,
which displayed the message 'Bu$h Go Home' in 20" high letters, was just one
of hundreds of protests that occurred across Britain by people disgusted at
the presence of the war mongerer in this country. The protest was carried
out peacefully, and with safety concerns paramount.
20th November 2003 Demo Report back
[Read more reports and discussions on the MK Discussion Group
and photos on the National Campaign website]
Fifteen people from Milton Keynes boarded two of three completely filled
coaches from Kettering and Northampton on Thursday to make their way into
London for the Anti-Bush demonstration. Another 12 or so made their way down
by train.
It was apparent as we got to Malet Street at 1.30 that this was going to be
a BIG demo, as we were soon swallowed up in the swelling ranks of protesters
and lost track of each other. Trying to make contact by mobile phone was
impossible due to the cacophony of noise drowning out any communication
whistles, drums, horns, sound systems, speeches, megaphones, chanting,
singing and yelling kept up for hours throughout the march. Meanwhile, the
visual senses were assailed by a riot of colourful banners and placards
most hand made and with some very inventive and often hilarious slogans.
The Speakers Corner group set up a PA in a doorway in Malet Street, and
while we waited for the march to move off we were entertained by impromptu
speeches and some amazing rapping by anyone who wanted to take the
microphone.
It took four hours for our section of the march to get to Trafalgar Square.
The closer we got to Westminster, the greater the police numbers. The
jump-suited riot squad were absent this time, but it was amusing to see
several members of the Special Branch taking video footage of the demo
whilst trying to blend in with the crowd dressed as Father Christmas!
As we approached Downing Street, the demonstrators went into renewed noise
frenzy, yelling ‘shame on you Tony Blair’ and trying to drown out the noise
of police helicopters hovering overhead. At 5:30 pm a large statue of Bush
was toppled in Trafalgar Square and several rousing speeches made. Muslims
were handing out free drinks, dates and other fruit for those who had been
fasting throughout the day for Ramadan, and a carnival atmosphere prevailed
throughout.
As we were driven back across London, the police stopped the traffic near
Marylebone Road. Several minutes later, the Bush motorcade sped past to
shouts and jeers from those in the coaches we had finally got our chance
to yell at the Prince of Darkness himself!
Our feet were sore, our ears rang from the constant noise, and we were all
tired. But everyone was buzzing on the coach home. A quarter of a million
people marched that day the biggest mid-week march in Britain ever. Two
thirds of the City Centre was brought to a standstill. It was good natured
and peaceful, and I am sure we all made some new friends along the way. Even
the rain had held off until the evening. There were many people who couldn’t
make the demo due to work or family commitments. One wonders how big it
would have been if it had been a weekend. Definitely a day to remember!
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27th Sept 2003... London demo and preparation for Bush's visit... |
...there was a national demonstration in London,
and also a local demonstration in CMK where about 180 people gathered to encourage
each other and marched to samba drummers around the shopping centre to raise awareness of the issues.
George Bush's forthcoming visit to Britain in November has created a wave of
anger across the country. People seem determined to be part of the protests
either in London or in their local towns. Many new activists will be taking
part in the protests for the first time. We in the Milton Keynes Stop the
War Group have a number of events planned locally, as well as attending the
protest in London on the 20th November.
There will be a meeting on Thursday 13th Nov, 7:30pm at the Central Meeting
Hall, 602 North Row, MK to prepare for the protests. Everyone is welcome.
There will also be an eyewitness report given by a trade union delegate who
recently visited Iraq >>> [get anti Bush flyer!]
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Thursday 21st March 2003 - the day the invasion
started...
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...approximately 150 of us gathered for a peaceful vigil outside the CMK rail station
at 6pm to protest at the outbreak of war. There was a dramatic 'die in', anti-war slogans chanted, and several speeches made by representatives of the different groups present, including a number of school children who had
taken action the previous day.
(thanks to MK Greens for the photo!)
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Balancing the demos, drums and speeches are regular venues where the power is in the silence and the simple fact that normal people are making a peaceful stand in public...
There was a Peace vigil every Monday 5.30pm-6.30pm outside CMK Rail Station
There was a Peace vigil every evening at 7pm at the Peace Pagoda, Willen Lake
There was a Wolverton for Peace Candlelight Circle: every Sunday 7pm-7.45pm in The Square, Wolverton There was a group who demonstrated at US Air Force Base at Fairford
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