Unley High protests

BY LEIGH HUGHES

ADELAIDE — Everywhere you go, there are indications that young people
oppose this war on Iraq. Anti-war badges pinned to school uniforms, discussions
about Iraq on the 3.30pm buses, huge Books Not Bombs meetings and massive
student turnouts to anti-war protests. The youth are beginning to speak
up — pro-war politicians are getting grilled when they visit schools. Now,
the students are taking their protests into the schools.

On April 2 at Unley High School, 400 students came out from classes
to protest on the school grounds. They held placards and cheered as students
spoke out against the war on Iraq.

Fifteen-year-old Unley High student and a protest organiser Evan Branford
said, “I would like to get the message to students everywhere that there
is still reason to rally even though the war has started”.

“Students today are to be tomorrow's leaders”, said Branford, “and if
we don't stand up now we will be tomorrow's soldiers”.

Brian Deegan, father of one of the Bali bombing victims, encouraged
the protesting students, saying, “we should stop our disgraceful leaders
from ordering the deaths of innocent young people in Iraq who are just
like you students here today”.

At the end of the rally, the students formed a large human peace sign
and held anti-war banners that had been made before the protest. One student
performed the John Lennon song “Imagine”, while enthusiastic students made
the peace sign.

Organisers of the protest say that they hope to get the entire school
to attend the anti-war protest on April 13 — while students at nearby Urrbrae
and Mitcham high schools plan to follow the example of the students at
Unley High School.

From Green Left Weekly, April 9, 2003.

Visit the Green Left Weekly
home page.

From GLW issue 533