[Imc-uk-features] Anti-militarism feature proposal

[Jeff Parks]

On 12/12/06, Shiar <shiar at riseup.net> wrote:
> Jeff Parks wrote:
> > Well it certainly wasn't intended to be! My aim was to contrast the
> > grass roots planning efforts with STWC opting to ignore everybody else
> > to with a liberal 'troops out' demo, doubtless negotiated with the
> > police under SOCPA.
>
> Fine. Maybe you could make this a bit clearer then?

Revised version below.

> P.S. Do you need someone to publish it for you or you have admin access?
> It was proposed ages ago!

No, I don't have admin rights, so if someone could publish it for me
that'd be great, thanks.

l'n'r,
Jeff

TITLE: Which Way The War Blows

<img src="http://www.indymedia.org.uk/images/2006/12/358108.jpg" width="150">

<p>The reinvigoration of anti-militarism campaigns, with a renewed focus
on direct and confrontational actions, continued this week as the
first in a series of open public meetings were held in <a
href="http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2006/12/357959.html">London</a>
and <a href="http://www.unitedforpeace.org/calendar.php?calid=19467">New
York</a> building on calls (<a
href="http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2006/11/355530.html">UK</a> | <a
href="http://dc.indymedia.org/mod/comments/display/143418/index.php">US</a>)
to mark the fourth anniversary of the start of the war on Iraq -
Monday 19th March 2007 - with a "Global Day of Action for Iraq and
Beyond".

<p>In reaction to this, the <a href="http://www.stopwar.org.uk/">Stop the
War Coalition</a> has called for Tuesday 20th March 2007 to be
'National Troops Out Day', with an afternoon demonstration in Central
London ending with a mass die-in and Troops Out rally in Parliament
Square, in place of their now traditional Embankment-to-Hyde Park
march. Despite this nod to civil disobedience, past events suggest
everything will be

tightly stage-managed and agreed with the police in advance (reports: <a
href="http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2006/01/331285.html">1</a> | <a
href="http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2006/08/346980.html">2</a> | <a
href="http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2006/08/346987.html">3</a> | <a

href="http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2006/09/351440.html">4</a>).

<p>Recent anti-militarist activity has had an increasing air of militancy
borne out of the escalating crises in Gaza, Darfur and Iraq (to name but
three), and frustration at past failures to act effectively, with
actions ranging from a picket of the <a
href="http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2006/09/352226.html">London
Soldier</a> army recruitment event; a <a
href="http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2006/08/347824.html">blockade</a>
and a <a href="http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2006/12/357622.html">march</a>
at
Brize Norton airbase; daily <a
href="http://www.faslane365.org/">Faslane 365</a> events (reports: <a
href="http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2006/11/355615.html">1</a> | <a
href="http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2006/11/356148.html">2</a> | <a
href="http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2006/11/357258.html">3</a>);
monthly anti-Trident replacement <a
href="http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2006/12/357644.html">blockades</a>
at AWE Aldermaston; a <a
href="http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2006/10/353671.html">human
chain</a> surrounding the Defence Export Services Organisation (DESO)
headquarters; pickets outside the
<a href="http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2006/12/357847.html">Halloween
Defence Industry Dinner</a> and Reed Exhibitions' (organisers of
DSEi arms fair) <a
href="http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2006/11/357449.html">Counter
Terror World</a> exhibition and conference which was aimed at <a
href="http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2006/10/354248.html">"Strengthening
State Security"</a>; regular blockades and pickets of Brighton arms
company EDO (reports: <a
href="http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2006/09/351317.html">1</a> | <a
href="http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2006/11/355463.html">2</a> | <a
href="http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2006/12/357900.html">3</a>); to
the targetting of companies accused of complicity in Israeli war
crimes including two lock-on blockades at Carmel Agrexco's London
distribution centre (reports: <a
href="http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2006/08/349440.html">1</a> | <a
href="http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2006/11/357038.html">2</a>) and a
<a href="http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2006/11/356758.html">picket</a>
at an event at which a Caterpillar Vice President was the keynote
speaker.

<p>Meanwhile many of the people arrested at two anti-militarist events
inside the SOCPA anti-protest zone are still waiting to hear what, if
any, charges they face for their involvement in the <a
href="http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2006/11/355049.html">No More
Fallujahs</a> weekend and the Sack Parliament (<a
href="http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2006/12/358120.html">video</a>)
day of action - which reportedly cost over <a
href="http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld199900/ldhansrd/pdvn/lds06/text/61130w0002.htm#06113070000199
">£300,000 to police</a>, or £1,000 <a
href="http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld199900/ldhansrd/pdvn/lds06/text/61123w0001.htm#column_WA13">per
participant</a>.

<p>Campaigns advocating and organising anti-militarist action include: <a
href="http://www.blockthebuilders.org.uk/">Block the Builders</a> | <a
href="http://www.caat.org.uk/">Campaign Against the Arms Trade</a> | <a
href="http://cr-uk.ifastnet.com/">Counter Recruitment UK</a> | <a
href="http://www.iraqoccupationfocus.org.uk/">Iraq Occupation
Focus</a> | <a href="http://www.smashedo.org.uk/">Smash EDO</a> | <a
href="http://www.stateofemergency.org.uk/">State of Emergency</a> | <a
href="http://www.stoparmingisrael.org/">Stop Arming Israel</a>