09.01.2003

Europe against the war

As agreed at the assembly of the social movements in Florence in November, activists from 11 European countries, the USA and the Philippines have come together in Copenhagen to coordinate European-wide action against war on Iraq. We endorse the anti-war call launched at the assembly in Florence. We believe that a war on Iraq, with or without UN support, would be a disaster for the people of the Middle East and beyond. It is clear there is majority opposition to war in almost every country in Europe and across the world. That is why this war cannot be fought in our name. This is also why we believe it is vital to build the broadest possible anti-war alliances everywhere around the demand 'No war on Iraq'. Our meeting showed that the movement against the war is gaining strength. All the countries represented have called action on February 15. We reinforce the decision to protest in every country immediately war starts, to hold national protests the following Saturday and to organise coordinated mass national demonstrations in capital cities on February 15. To this end we have decided to continue our coordination at a European level, to set up a European-wide anti-war website, and to have a common banner on each of our demonstrations demanding 'No war on Iraq'. We are committed to spreading anti-war coordination both inside and beyond Europe, and to holding another enlarged meeting after the February 15 demo. We will continue to campaign until this war is stopped. We urge the movements in countries not represented at our meeting to join in our initiatives. We urge every organisation that opposes this war to work for a massive mobilisation on February 15. Together we can stop the war. Copenhagen, December 15 2002