Protests against the invasion of Afghanistan
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In 2001, a number of small protests against the invasion of Afghanistan occurred in various cities and college campuses across the United States and other countries in the first days after the start of the US-led invasion of Afghanistan. These protests were mainly peaceful, but larger protests and general strikes occurred in Pakistan. Some of these were suppressed by police with casualties among the protesters. In both Islamic and non-Islamic nations, protests and rallies of various sizes against the attack on Afghanistan took place.
Many protesters felt that the invasion of Afghanistan was unjustified aggression and would lead to the deaths of many innocent people by preventing humanitarian aid workers from bringing food into the country.
[edit] October 7, 2001
On October 7, there was a peace rally of ten to twelve thousand people in New York City. The group marched from Union Square to Times Square, cheering the police at the beginning of the march. The list of about twelve speakers was cut to three or four by the police, and they were herded at the end into a one-lane-wide "bullpen".
[edit] November 18, 2001
On November 18, 2001 the Stop the War Coalition (StWC) organized an anti-war demonstration. This was the coalition's first national demonstration in London under the slogan "Not in my name". The organizers estimate that 100,000 people took part. This included a large number of British Muslims. As the demonstration fell during Ramadan, StWC organized an element of prayer in the final rally to allow pious Muslims to observe their faith. Headlining speakers included human rights campaigner Bianca Jagger, left-wing Labour Party veteran Tony Benn, then Labour MP George Galloway, and speakers from the Muslim community. Though the demonstration was small compared to the later demonstrations the coalition would go on to organize against the Iraq war, it was the largest peace demonstration for more than fifteen years.
[edit] References
- Stop the War: the story of Britain's biggest mass movement, Andrew Murray and Lindsey German, ISBN 1-905192-00-2
- Another coalition stands up to be counted, John Vidal, Monday November 19, 2001, The Guardian
- Protesters demand end to bombing BBC
