Volume 2, No. 11, November 2001

The day New York and Washington were attacked on September 11 the US authorities started immediate preparations to launch a war on Afghanistan for retribution. The US president and his coterie of administration top brass whipped up a revenge spirit and war hysteria to "punish", "destroy" and bring to "justice" those who were behind the attacks. He asked the grieving American people to prepare themselves for more deaths as the US "war on terrorism" would be a"sweeping, sustained and effective" one that may go on for years. No sooner had .the imperialist marauder announced his schemes for "a new kind of global war" than the voices of dissent and opposition to US war designs started gathering momentum during the memorial services for those who had been killed. Even, many of the parents of those who had been killed spoke against continuing the cycle of violence any further. They said, "our grief is not a cry for war!" that there should be no revenge "in the name of" their lost sons and daughters.

The first demonstrations against war had started on the 16th of September itself. Over 3000 people marched in Portland, Oregon, on the same day. In another protest against war build-up 2000 people gathered in an anti-war concert in San Francisco. In Seattle 5000 people took part in a "healing and peace" march organised by the Church Council of Greater Seattle. On September 20, over 400 people marched in the streets of Fresno, California, with the message — UNITY with the Muslim and Arab community and NO WAR. In Los Angeles 300 people rallied in downtown parts of the city in an anti-war demonstration A student had a message on his T-shirt saying, "Don’t touch Afghanistan! Remember El Salvador, Vietnam, Chile, Iraq, Croatia, Panama, Cuba, Lebanon, Nicaragua"…and names of a dozen other places where US imperialists had committed war crimes. Many such demonstrations calling for NO TO WAR were reported in many cities across the US.

On September 20, Thursday, a national day of action on university campuses was organised across the country. Rallies were held in 140 campuses to express opposition to the anti-Arab and anti-Muslim attacks and to call for a diplomatic response and not a military one. The largest rally was held in UC Berkley, where over 3500 students and people gathered to register their opposition to the war efforts.

And right in the city of New York, where the Towers had fallen and many deaths occurred, thousands have continued to organize and speak out against "America’s New War." Over 3,000 people packed a peace program. Hundreds have met to organize protests against war, repressive government measures and racist attacks against immigrants. 5,000 marched from Union Square to the Times on September 21 to say No to War.

On September 22, over 100 artists wearing black marched into Union Square, New York City, where people had been gathering for ten days to grieve. When the artists formed a semi circle at the square a silence fell all over the place. The artists stood in silence for one hour wearing face masks and with placards reading "OUR GRIEF IS NOT A CRY FOR WAR." These artists had gathered under the banner of Artists Network of Refuse and Resist.

And on September 29, even though many activists in New York had gone to Washington, DC to demonstrate against war and racism, 500 people marched in Manhattan. Activists have begun to spread the word: "Demonstrate at Times Square at 5:00 p.m. the day after any U.S. military action if it falls on Saturday or Sunday!"

The largest anti-war demonstration after the September 11 events has occurred in the Washington DC. On September 30, more than 10,000 people gathered in Washington and transformed the anti-Globalisation protest into an anti-war protest. Some newspapers have reported that the number of the protestors was 25,000. The city of Washington was to see the biggest ever demonstration against the forces of imperialist globalisation on that day as the annual meeting of the World Bank and the IMF was to be held there. But in the wake of September 11 the annual meeting was called off. The main organisers of the protests had too called off their demonstrations. Yet many of the participants decided to convert the anti-globalisation protests into an anti-war demonstration. The huge turn out at the venue proved a great success in spite of doubts over holding of the demonstration. According to official figures 11 protesters were arrested and two were injured when they fought battles with the police.

A group of people carrying silhouettes representing the Afghani people gave a call: "Food and Medicine for the People of Afghanistan, Now! Or Innocent Millions Will Die." People’s signs and voices spoke strongly about standing together with Arab and Middle Eastern brothers and sisters in the U.S. and internationally.

Revolutionary Worker (RW) writes that, "In the D.C. streets two sharply opposing futures were posed. On one side, the cold and hateful riot police for U.S. capitalism, with their pepper spray and batons, took to the streets against the masses and in protection of the government and capitalist institutions. On the other were the youth and others shouting out for a world where people can live together without the constant war and misery the U.S. brings. The protests gave voice to the love and determination of many people to reach out and create a different future, together with the people of the world."

On the same day when demonstrations were going on in Washington the protests were organised throughout the US. The RW adds, "There were September 29 support demonstrations in other cities around the country—including 7,000 to 10,000 people in San Francisco, 2,000 in Los Angeles and 1,000 in Denver. The September 29 D.C. protests drew people of all different nationalities from around the country, as well as people from Indonesia, Palestine, Africa, Afghanistan, India, Colombia, Honduras, the Philippines, and other countries. Students from dozens of college campuses—from Washington State to California, Alabama to Vermont—represented on the microphone. Three hundred students came from Oberlin College in Ohio."

In opposition to Tony Blair’s statement that Britain stands shoulder to shoulder with America in the "global assault against terrorism" the people in Britain have started organising against war. Almost all the major cities of Britain have seen anti-war demonstrations and gatherings. The mainstream press has not reported all the anti-war demonstrations and activities around the war preparations of the US and its allies. The following reports indicate that as the war clouds are building up more people are beginning to come openly on the streets against war.

Over 4,000 people joined an anti-war vigil on, Saturday afternoon, September 29, outside Downing Street in London. Many carried signs saying "Shoulder to shoulder for peace and justice". Terry Bowler, a student activist against capitalist globalisation, said, "We have got to stop the war." Over 1,000 people joined an anti-war rally in Glasgow’s George Square the same Saturday. In Manchester over 400 anti-war protesters marched through the city. In Birmingham over 300 people joined a vigil in Victoria. In Edinburg about 200 people joined an anti-war vigil on the steps of St Giles Cathederal on Friday. Similar protests were held within days of the September 11 events in Portsmouth, Leeds, Bradford, Todmorden, Hebden Bridge, Sheffield, Newcastle, Swansea, Cardiff, Milton Keynes, Brighton and Cambridge.

In Italy over 10,000 people protested in the Italian capital, Rome, against the war, and there were protests in many other cities.

In Athens, Greece, 8,000 people marched against war on Sept.27. Similarly, in Naples, Italy 10,000 people protested against war, with the police ready to pre-empt any Genoa.

In Germany over 5,000 school students protested against the war. Some 3,000 joined a demonstration in Hamburg, 6,000 in Kassel and 1,500 in Stuttgart. About 1,100 protested in the university town of Freiburg on September 29, Saturday. Some 500 had joined school students’ protest the week before. Richard Grubitz, aged 87, joined an anti-war protest in Berlin at the weekend. Richard said, "I was a solider for six years during the Second World War. I have seen what war is. It was mass murder."

In Australia a militant 500-strong anti-war rally took place in Sydney. Nearly 500 people attended a peace rally in Canberra, 300 in Melbourne and 2,000 in Adelaide.

In Spain about 500 people joined an anti-war rally. There were plans for demonstrations in many cities across Spain on September 6, Saturday.

In Austria over 500 people protested in Vienna two days after the destruction of the World Trade Centre. The following Wednesday a teach-in drew over 150 people.

In Ireland some 250 people attended a meeting against the war in Belfast just three days after the destruction of the World Trade Center. Another 250 came to a meeting in the small town of Galway on the same night.

There are reports of anti-US demonstrations throughout the Middle East and other Muslim countries. The people in Pakistan have been in the forefront of anti-US demonstrations. Many religious and fundamentalist organisations have given a call to intensify the struggle if and when the US attacks Afghanistan. On September 22 all the big and small cities and towns across Pakistan were rocked with protests. In Karachi the Pakistani police killed four demonstrators.

In the Indian occupied Kashmir a general strike was organised on the same day to protest against the US preparations to attack Afghanistan. A demonstration of 200 people was held in New Delhi by various workers, democratic and left organisations to protest against the US war moves in South Asia. Another demonstration was held in Delhi by the All India Anti-imperialist Forum to protest against the US. The demonstration held the US policies responsible for the rise of terrorism. Reports from other parts of the country are yet to come in.

In various countries of South East Asia many Muslim organisations have protested against the US war threat to Afghanistan. The Muslim people throughout the world have demanded that the US should stop helping state terrorism of Israel and shed double standards first before launching a "global war on terrorism". The Muslim organisations have threatened to launch a Jehad against the US and its allies if Bush embarks on his "Crusade" by attacking Afghanistan.

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