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(Earlier Rachel Corrie of America was bulldozed by Sharon
bulldozer operator while Boston Globe reporter shot in back)
Thomas Hurndall, ISM Peace Activist Shot by Israeli Sniper

On 11th April 2003 in Rafah, occupied Gaza, International Solidarity Movement (ISM) peace activist and photographer Thomas Hurndall was shot in the head by an Israeli sniper as he shielded children from the line of fire. He remains on a life support machine. The Israeli military has so far refused to comment.
Read account - shocking picture - more reports

Tom is the third ISM activist to have been killed or injured by the Israeli military in the space of a month - Rachel Corrie was killed last month by an Israeli bulldozer and last week Bryan Avery was shot in the face. Many are now asking if international peace activists are being deliberatly targeted by the Israeli military. Tom had only recently begun working with ISM after leaving Jordan where he was involved with refugee work and Baghdad where he had volunteered as a peace activist.

ANTI WAR DEMONSTRATIONS         Apr 12 2003  

April 12th: International Anti-War Protests

LONDON:
Thousands of people marched through central London on Saturday April 12th for the Stop The War coalition's national demonstration. As two marches joined at Parliament Square (pics), a minutes silence was observed in memory of the dead in Iraq as flowers were laid in rememberance (pics). Hundreds more flowers were also laid opposite Downing Street to shouts of "Blair Out!" (pics).

Organisers estimated up to 200,000 people attended, while the police maintained only 20,000 people took part in the rally in Hyde Park (many observers said it was closer to 100,000). There were three arrests in the park, one for alleged assault on a police officer as police harrassed people at an information stall, eye witness reports tell a different story however (read report and pics here). There were speeches from dozens of speakers (streamed and archived here) throughout the afternoon.
London timeline + tactics discussion
General pictures, Samba pics, Stop the War Coalition pics.

GLASGOW:
2000 people marched through the city centre of Glasgow in protest of the war in Iraq and for justice. Police presence was small and the atmosphere was sombre and quite restrained. Speeches were made by the various political parties.
Glasgow report

INTERNATIONAL RESISTANCE AGAINST WAR         Apr 11 2003  

Barcelona Against The War: Protests And Strike

The city of Barcelona was shaken on Thursday 10th as thousands of people took to the streets in a day of protest against the killing in Iraq and the permanent war. Many businesses were closed, following a call by several anarchosindcalist unions [CGT | CNT | SO] for a general strike of 24 hours. Actions were continuing until the late evening.

Read entire feature with first hand reports, images and background info in IMC-UK World Page

[ IMC-Barcelona in English language | IMC-Global ]

PRISONER SOLIDARITY         Apr 11 2003  

Repression in Society

Whilst the repression of the anti-war movement continues (see jailed activists), longterm political prisoners ask for solidarity. John Bowden describes Brutality at Full Sutton, whereas Charles Hanson, supported by Miscarriages of Justice writes about Coping with Awkward Prison Staff and restrictions on literature, like the Fight Rascism - Fight Imperialism magazine.

More details:
[ Anarchist Black Cross | Brighton ABC | Earth Liberation Prisoners | Bristol ABC]

RESISTANCE TO WAR         Apr 11 2003  

Peace Movement Marches On

The National demonstration against the war called for this Saturday 12th April is set to go ahead in London as the debates about reconstruction and profits from Iraq continue. The demonstration will assemble at 12 Noon near Waterloo and Victoria. Organisers are asking people to bring flowers to lay outside 10 Downing Street and will be holding 2 minutes silence outside Parliament (where the two marches converge)in memory of all those who have died so far in Iraq. Speeches from Hyde Park will also be webstreamed from 1.00pm

A big demonstration is also planned in as part of what is an International day of action in dozens of countries across the world. In Washington campaigners plan to surround the Whitehouse - read "Why We Are Still Protesting".

Meanwhile planning continues for the annual blockade of Faslane nuclear submarine base on 22nd April. Other events focusing on the profits of war include a Carnival Against Oil Wars and Climate Chaos at BP's AGM in London on April 24th, as well as this years Mayday protests, which place opposition to war at the heart of the demonstrations with protests at Lockheed Martin, the Home Office and Shell, plus a large trade union march and rally. Prior to mayday a week of actions against the arms industry will be held by Campaign Against The Arms Trade (CAAT). Press propaganda against the mayday protests has already begun with several articles appearing.

US: 'NON LEATHAL' ROUNDS FIRED AT PROTESTORS         Apr 8 2003  

Wooden Bullets, Concussion Grenades, Pellet Bags From Shotguns

US police in Oakland attacked peace protestors on Monday 7th as hundreds were demonstrating at the docks of American President Lines (APL) and Stevedoring Services of America (SSA). SSA was awarded a $4.8 million contract for a year's operation of the Port of Umm Qasr in Iraq.

The Oakland Police Department moved in to disperse the demonstrators, using concussion grenades, wooden bullets, beanbags full of pellets and other munitions. Dozens of people, including six onlooking longshoreman dock workers, suffered injuries and over 35 other protesters and port workers were arrested. Police defended their actions saying some people threw rocks at police. Many dockworkers later closed parts of the port in protest.
See full story. For more see IMC San Francisco.

IRISH ANTI-WAR PROTESTS AS BUSH ARRIVES         Apr 7 2003  

Protests As Bush and Blair Meet

Protests are being held in Hillsborough as Bush flies into town to meet Blair. For Breaking News see IMC Ireland. Another protest is planned for tuesday in Belfast City centre. See digest for related info.

Reports... as of 20.00 - Monday 7th April
approx 3000 on the road from Sprucefield, meets line of riot police at 19.20 *** Some arrests being made (at least 7) *** Under 100 in the town itself staged a die-in and were removed by riot cops *** Bush arrives in town by helicopter, rumours of a motorcade to the castle itself *** Bikes not Bombs arrive and locals call for the troops to return home *** People getting in to Hillsborough by the back roads from the main demonstration *** Town centre sealed off *** Bomb alerts close roads .
[Report] [photos 1 | 2 | 3 | 4] [videos] [audio]

Reports - Tuesday 8th April
� 12.30 - Schools walk out against the war.
� 13.00 50+ people gathered in a vigil for peace in Boyle town square.
� 13.30 - A crowd of up to 300 gathered outside the Belfast City Hall at 1pm. Several peacefull protestors arrested by riot police.
Text report by Indymedia Belfast. Photos 1 | 2

[ Ireland Indymedia ]

RECLAIM THE BASES         Apr 7 2003  

Reclaim The Bases: Day Two

Under the banner "Reclaim the Bases", protests around military bases took place throughout the weekend.

Bases (sunday 6th april)
Anti war actions took place at 9 military bases:

USAF Fairford: As cluster bombs were being loaded onto B52 bombers over a hundred anti war activists at Fairford continued their sponsored stop and search with great success. The embarassed police refrained from their regular practice of repeatedly stopping and searching people. Dave Cockcroft of Gloucestershire Weapons Inspectors said, "creative action...can bring about quick turnarounds in policy.

RAF Mawgan: (Cornwall) 120 people protested against the war with 20 weapons inspectors, clad in white suits, requesting entry to the base. The protestors, including some nuns, laid dozens reed crosses at the entrance. Betty Levene of Cornwall Stop the War Coalition said "Many people now feel it is imperative to do all they can to end the war as soon as possible, by resisting it to the best of their ability and to make it quite clear to the UK and US Governments that we are not prepared to be complicit in what is, by all standards of international jurisprudence, a crime punishable under international law."

RAF Wellford: 15 activists took part in a sponsored stop and search like the one at Fairford. Unsually, the police were reluctant to stop and search activists more than once.

A Die In was held at the gates of RAF St Athan's, a cycle protest was held at RAF Brawdy, protestors planted 'seeds for peace' at RAF Molesworth and there were protests at both RAF Cottesmore and British land forces HQ at Wilton. Meanwhile 160 people travelled to Northwood Military HQ - see feature below.

Read full Sunday Report.

RECLAIM THE BASES: NORTHWOOD HQ         Apr 7 2003  

Civil Liberties Again Suspended

As part of "Reclaim the Bases", 180 protestors travelled to Northwood, Britian's military HQ on Sunday 6th April. 60 protestors were illegally detained at Northwood tube station and then forced back onto the tube trains! Another 60 protestors were illegally detained in a pen outside the main gates to the base (pics) (timeline of events).

Despite the mass policing operation 20 protestors staged a sit down in the road near the main gates, 6 were arrested (pics). Police applied pressure points to protestors and left some bleeding after dragging them accross the street (pics). Other small road blockades were also held on the other side of the base and 6 women stripped naked in protest against the war and the police actions.

At one point the police kidnapped 3 people walking around the streets near the base, drove them to the pen and forced them to join the people inside the pen, where protestors were detained. Many others where physically forced into the detention pen even when they said they did not wish to join the protest. Up to 90 people will now file a formal complaint with the police for illegal detention. (Similarly many protestors are also planning legal action following the illegal detention of 3 coach loads of people from London who tried to attend a demonstration at USAF Fairford on 24th March - see previous features)

Based on legal advice received by people at Northwood, there is no legal basis for the police action. Sian Jones of anti-war group d10 said "All over Britain, police are increasingly abusing their powers to prevent people protesting against this war. This in an extension of the war, to stamp out protest. While our Government is breaking international law in Iraq by attacking civilians with missiles, cluster bombs, tanks and machine guns, they are also breaking human rights law at home."

ACTION AGAINST THE WAR MACHINE         Apr 6 2003  

Reclaim The Bases - Day One

Bases (saturday 5th april)
Actions and protests at 5 bases: read press release

Naval HQ Portsmouth: 120 anti war activists gathered for nonviolent direct action at the Naval HQ and shut it down by proxy as the MOD closed all the gates for the entire day. A banner was dropped from the harbour and one arrest made.

USAF FAirford: Severe restrictions in place: Around 100 peace campaigners took part in the sponsored terrorism act stop and search competition. Police blocked off many of the access roads and, despite peoples insistence that they had no intention of marching, the police organised a march themselves! At one point police threatened to arrest people under Section 12 of the Public Order Act for not getting in a police coach to take to them to the police organised demo! Activists and media were prevented from visiting the peace camp at Gate 10, which has been the target of increased harrasment. The competion continues on Sunday.

RAF Stafford: Following a vigil in Stafford Market 120 anti war protestors, including a 20 strong samba band marched to RAF Stafford, host to the Tactical Support Wing.The protestors gathered in front of the gates, released doves for peace, and attached anti war messages to the fence.

Devonport, Plymouth: 70 anti war activists, 15 in white weapons inspectors suits, staged a weapons inspection. They banged on the gates and hung notices recording that weapons inspectors were denied access to a base hosting illegal weapons of mass destruction, including at least 12 nuclear powered submarines.

Fylingdales US Space Command: 60 anti war activists, flying foil kites and wearing foil clothes joined an anti war demonstration at Fylingdales, part of the Star Wars system. Three people managed to find their way inside the base. Two of them were ejected, the other one was arrested for breach of bail conditions (pics).

Palace Barracks, Co Down, N. Ireland: Campaigners blocked the base (report + pics).

UK - ACTIONS AGAINST THE WAR         Apr 5 2003  

Variety Of Actions Against The War

'Art Against the War' activists are busy camouflaging phone boxes. In Manchester, 200 mourners attended a Peace funeral. 15 coffins were carried slowly around town for 2 hours ( pics). In Cambridge, a demo gently blocked traffic. Many motorists honked in support as they passed by in the opposite direction. In London a big banner reading "Wake the f*UK Up!" was dropped on Oxford Street.

The Irish Anti-War Movement is calling for a mass demonstration opposing Bush's visit in Belfast on Monday. In Northern Ireland, peace campaigners are organising emergency protests. Derry has already held a protest.

In Edinburgh, 100 blocked an Esso petrol station. School students held a demo on Friday. Later in the day, demonstrators used masses of postcards with a "Fuck Bush" design. The week before, on March 22, an activist had been charged for holding up a placard with the same design (report).

UK - ACTIONS AGAINST THE WAR         Apr 5 2003  

London March to US Embassy

On Saturday up to 3000 people marched from BBC Broadcasting House to hold a Stop The War protest at the US Embassy in London (police estimated 1000). Huge numbers of police accompanied the march to the Embassy, where protestors found themselves marshalled into a small area fenced off with crash barriers and concrete blocks. There were passionate speeches with many critical of the mainstream media's role in the conflict. (See pics)

Following on a group of around 100 people slowly marched up to Oxford street where they held a sunny sit down protest, blockading the intersection for almost one hour (pics), before police moved violently to push them back to the US Embassy (pics). They were held there for over an hour and then released in small groups after being told that if they protested again that day, they would be arrested (report). Despite this spirits remained high and people vowed to continue the protests.

By early evening there were at least 6 confirmed dubious arrests under Section 14 of the Public Order Act 1986 including that of an IMC-UK volunteer [report]. Most of those arrested where later charged, some with "highway obstruction" and face court cases early next week.

See full timeline reports.
Collection of 24 pictures
Collection of 7 audio reports
BBC report

More protests are expected in Scotland and all over the UK.

MAINSTREAM MEDIA TARGETTED         Apr 3 2003  

Real Lives Not Media Lies

The mainstream media has been heavily criticised for its pro bias coverage of the attack on Iraq and has seen an increasing amount of action taken against them. Most recently on April fools Day in Manchester thirty people occupied the News International Office, which run the Times and the Sun. Once inside they handed out literature to the staff before being painfully removed. The Sun tabloid was also a target of a student die-in outside the sun offices in Tower Hill, London. Also in London a protest outside the BBC was met with a line of police outside the front of the building with the gate to the entrance shut, preventing access.

These actions followed on from a demonstration outside the Manchester BBC offices Saturday the 29th, which saw two marches converge on the Headquarters. The previous night BBC deputy Editor Mark Damazar was confronted with a barrage of questions at a public discussion organised by Media Workers Against the War criticising the pro-government war led agenda.
A list of military/govt. claims and media counter-claims published by the MediaGuardian shows how some of the lies are being disproved.