Council ban fails to prevent anti-war rally

December 4, 2002
Issue 

BY JOHN GAUCI

SYDNEY — Despite a ban on all political activity in the Manly Corso, the beachside suburb's famous pedestrian mall, 200 activists held a "No war on Iraq" rally there on November 23. The rally was initiated by the Northside Socialist Alliance.

The Socialist Alliance initially skirted the council's ban by calling it a "rally for peace and justice". However, the council refused permission the day before the rally, claiming that the organisers' public liability insurance was inadequate. The Greens offered the use of their insurance policy, however, Manly council refused to budge.

Despite threats of fines, the ban was defied and the rally went ahead. The rally was peaceful and there were no arrests. In the end, the council didn't even bother to send its rangers to check on the gathering.

Speakers included Angela Budai, a Socialist Alliance candidate for the NSW upper house, Ian Cohen from the Greens, the Australian Democrats' Arthur Chesterfield Evans, Gagr Elgafi from the Islamic Council, Ron Waters from Catholics for Social Justice, Jacqui Ashton from Justice Action for Refugees, David Golan from the Chatswood No War group and Lauren Caroll Harris from Resistance. The Manly Peace Choir also performed.

Budai explained the Socialist Alliance's total opposition to any war on Iraq, regardless of UN Security Council approval. She also condemned the federal government's cuts to welfare and social services to finance the military. Cohen condemned Christian fundamentalist NSW MP Fred Nile's call for the chador to be banned as "racist and shameful".

Caroll Harris told the rally that "5000 Iraqi children die each month of preventable diseases as a result of UN sanctions, which prevent basic medicines and medical equipment reaching them". Elgafi added that, "Any war on Iraq will result in the senseless murder of thousands more innocents".

Golan reminded the crowd of the lessons of the movement against the Vietnam War.

[John Gauci coordinated the Manly rally.]

From Green Left Weekly, December 4, 2002.
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