13.03.2003

Anticipate violence?

Lindsay German - convenor of the Stop the War Coalition - got the 50-strong audience chuckling at the inaugural meeting of the Haringey People's Assembly for Peace on March 9. She told us that a journalist had phoned the STWC office to ask: "Do you anticipate violence on the day war breaks out?" Helpfully she added: "I think he meant, are we going to break some windows?" Discussion following the comrade's comprehensive opening had two themes. First, practical arrangements for protest on Day X. Second - importantly - the democratic questions vividly highlighted by the anti-war movement. "Only regime change can stop the war," said one participant - although it was clear as the discussion went on that for some this goes no further than the fall of Blair, possibly with a big split in Labour. Welcome though this would be, the question is - what comes next? The meeting unanimously elected two local activists - Peter (an ex-Labour man) and Pat - to the People's Assembly on March 12, with Katy - a local STWC and SWP stalwart - also being sent as an observer. Mark Fischer