Everyone was surprised - but not shocked. The organizers in Echec a la
guerre, simply couldn't imagine so many would turn out yesterday - when the
temperature was a bitter -20 Celsius /-5 Fahrenheit . The main metro line
broke down 20 minutes before the starting time, and thousands had to walk
several kilometres just to get to the march. Still, there were SO many
people.
Today, everyone is still buzzing, and optimism is in the air that we can
slow down and stop this rush to war. On Thursday and Friday, the English media could
barely find time to sniff at my calls for some publicity. Now they are
calling me/us for interviews (as if we have this magic touch that pulls
150,000 people out of a hat!)
Of course, our job was easier than in the U.S. which more or less put their
NYC march under Marshal Law - with a court ordered anti-march, police sharp
shooters training their guns on the demonstrators, and 25 cow-pens for the
100,000 or so that actually were able to get pass the initial police
barricades to the United Nations. Plus they have a relentless idiotic
pro-war media.
Already, plans for other anti war projects like
passing a city council resolution and a creative action to blockade the US
consulate are appearing more possible.
I started in the middle of the march and walked or politely shoved my way
toward the starting point. People were packed together - not just because it
was cold, but because we were in a human traffic jam.
My team was putting up florescent placards on light poles announcing next
Friday's "Block the Empire" action- where we will block the US consulate.
People everywhere helped me hoist them high on the poles.
These were not the usual suspects we sometimes encounter at our protests.
By our big yellow Block the Empire banner, people were grabbing flyers for
the event out of our frozen hands. What a great feeling when people applaud
a banner promoting direct action.
Hoping they show up Friday. _____ Jenny Brown