BY PETER ROBSON

NEWCASTLE — Despite Newcastle police calling high school principals and warning them of violent protest, the Newcastle March 26 student strike against the war attracted over 350 students, mostly from high school.

Students gathered in Civic Park at 1pm and listened to TAFE, high school and university speakers. Light entertainment was provided by local punk band “the Pints”. Students then marched, with a police escort, to Liberal Senator Tierney's office and started an open microphone.

The protest had permits and march permissions necessary to go ahead, but Newcastle police still attempted to intimidate students from attending the rally. Police called schools and claimed that there had been no communication between protest organisers and the police. They also asked principals to advise students not to attend on the basis of “safety concerns”.

“They tried to illegally stop us from meeting and marching”, said one student on the open mike. “This is why we have to march now and take our message to the streets of Newcastle, to take a lead and say that we will not co-operate with this war.”

From Green Left Weekly, April 2, 2003.
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