Wall Street is War Street: the protests go global

STOP THE WAR COALITION

> 16 October 2011
> Email office@stopwar.org.uk
> Tel: 020 7801 2768
> Web: http://stopwar.org.uk
> Twitter: http://twitter.com/STWuk
> Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/stopthewarcoalition
>
> IN THIS NEWSLETTER:
> 1) WALL STREET IS WAR STREET: THE PROTESTS GO GLOBAL
> 2) FILM, VIDEO AND PHOTOS OF THE ANTI-WAR ASSEMBLY
>
> *********************************
> 1) WALL STREET IS WAR STREET: THE PROTESTS GO GLOBAL
>
> The Occupy Wall Street (OWS) protests this weekend have spread
> worldwide taking in 1000 towns and cities in 80 countries. We
> could be witnessing the start of a global movement on a scale we
> haven't seen since tens of millions went on to the streets in
> 2003 to oppose the Iraq war.
>
> At the heart of the US Occupy Wall Street demands is the call to
> cut the war machine (SEE http://bit.ly/qDXOFP) which has consumed
> over a trillion dollars in the past ten years and is currently
> fighting wars in seven countries - Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan,
> Libya, Somalia, Yemen and - the latest addition - Uganda, where
> Obama has just deployed US troops. (SEE http://bit.ly/r1e0yu)
>
> If the "war on terror" is included - the latest instalment of
> which is the ludicrous Iranian "plot", the war-addicted Barack
> Obama - holder of the Nobel Peace Prize - is currently waging
> eight wars. (SEE http://bit.ly/nEArmP)
>
> We need to make the cost of the UK war machine integral to the
> OWS movement here, which has begun so impressively this weekend
> with Occupy the London Stock Exchange.
>
> This year alone Britain is spending £9 billion on the wars in
> Afghanistan and Libya and on the maintenance of the Trident
> nuclear missile system. Recent Stop the War articles have shown
> how this money could be used to fund public services, rather than
> the government's current policy of decimating them. (SEE
> http://bit.ly/qxLqXO AND http://bit.ly/odNXt3)
>
> *********************************
> 2) FILM, VIDEO AND PHOTOS OF THE ANTI-WAR ASSEMBLY
>
> Stop the War has been flooded with positive comments about the
> Anti-War Assembly in Trafalgar Square on 8 October - more than
> we've had for any event for years. These are typical of the
> responses:
>
> "Great day! What a great feeling to be amongst so many people who
> feel so passionate about this issue. And what an outstanding list
> of speakers and performers!" - Sean Murphy.
>
> "Amazing day! I loved how everyone came together through
> creativity, through music, art and poetry...it was beautiful!" -
> Madeleine McCabe
>
> We have now posted a 45 minute TV film of the event, which
> captures the spirit and inspiration of the day, including the
> march to Downing Street at the end of the Assembly, led by
> 106-year-old Hetty Bower, which blockaded David Cameron's
> official residence. (SEE http://bit.ly/pYJ6Pb)
>
> Also on the Stop the War website are videos of the speeches by
> John Pilger, George Galloway, Brian Eno and many more. (SEE
> http://bit.ly/pC0CYW)
>
> We have begun creating picture galleries for the hundreds of
> photographs we have been sent of the event. (SEE
> http://bit.ly/pe08yk AND http://bit.ly/qJv6ZH). More to follow
> soon.
>
> Many thanks to all the speakers, filmmakers, actors, musicians
> and artists who made the Antiwar Assembly in Trafalgar Square on
> 8 October such a success.