Community protests condemn Iraq war

BY BILL MASON

BRISBANE — A number of suburban protests were held on March 29 to demand "No war on Iraq" and "Bring the troops home". Initiated by the Socialist Alliance, the protests were held in West End, Fortitude Valley, Stones Corner and Indooroopilly.

In West End, around 30 people gathered for a speak-out, including radical academic Carole Ferrier, Marce Cameron from the Socialist Alliance and Lynda Hansen from the Committee in Solidarity with Latin America and the Caribbean.

Speakers at Keating Park in Indooroopilly included long-time peace activist Karl-Erik Paasonen and Tim Stewart from the Socialist Alliance.

In Fortitude Valley and Stones Corner, participants concentrated on collecting hundreds of signatures on a petition asking the opposition parties in the Senate to force Prime Minister John Howard to call an early election by blocking the May federal budget.

The previous afternoon, the Brisbane Stop the War Coalition held a rally in King George Square, attracting 500 people. After the speeches, protesters marched through the city streets to the department of foreign affairs office. The demonstration finished with a sit-in in Ann Street, near the city square.

From Green Left Weekly, April 9, 2003.

Visit the Green Left Weekly home page.

From GLW issue 533