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Stop the War 15 Feb 03

Contra La Guerra Manifestation Barcelona 15 Feb 2003: A Personal Account

Wow Feb. 15^th in Barcelona was big (estimates from 1.5-2 million people – or 300,000 according to the Spanish authorities! - took part in the anti-war demonstration).  It’s certainly the biggest demonstration I’ve ever taken part in & it’s difficult to realise the sheer scale of it all. It seemed like every wo/man & their dog was out on the street to oppose Aznar, Blair & Bush’s dirty war. In fact it was only really after the demo had finished that you really got an idea of how big it was -walking through the city there was a carnival atmosphere & a sense of comradeship as it seemed everyone had been a part of the demo & was on a rush of people power.

The squat I was staying at Can Mas Deu was involved in organising the bike bloc in the demo. The idea was to widen the issues beyond just anti-war organising & to make the connections that if we continue to depend on an economy based on oil Wars such as the current Gulf War will be a staple of our future. Bikes & people where decorated with messages, & puppets & a bike powered PA filled the streets with sound. We also had a radical cheerleader team with the cheer…

Who let the bombs drop…

Bush Bush Bush

& Who are we gonna stop

Bush Bush Bush

& who funds Bin Laden

Bush Bush Bush

Just like his daddy taught him

Bush Bush Bush

Who steals food from children

Bush Bush Bush

Iraq & Afghanistan

(& a great refrain in case the cops get nasty…)

Cops on the street

Trying to beat you

Don’t let ‘em hurt you

Get rid of dubyu

Don’t just fight the symptoms

Tear down the system

Actualise solutions

Global revolution

(This is a good example of how us nasty protestors are not anti-American, we’re just anti-American stupidity. When some cool people in the states come up with great ideas like Radical Cheerleaders we’re all for it! )

After the demo a large building in the city centre was squatted & a lot of people went back for some free food a few beers & some avant-garde punk rock. This building was huge & there was a week long plan for anti-war activities to take place there, unfortunately two days later it was evicted. Not that an eviction can keep the Catalans down as subsequent to the demo more anti-war squats have been opened & a peace camp set up…

'No a le Guerra', Almeria, Spain 15 February 03

In an international day of protest where people in 60 countries around the globe came out in strength to protest against any possible war waged by the Americans and British In Iraq. I was in Almeria, S Spain where over 20,000 people came out onto the streets to voice their opposition to Bush, Blair, and the Spanish Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar. 

The streets were packed with people from all walks of  life and ages walking shoulder to shoulder. Old women in fur coats walked in defiance with kids in prams and teenagers in fancy dress. They chanted slogans like 'No a le guerra' (no to war) and 'Aznar capullo mano puta hijo' (Aznar dickhead, son of a bitch). The carnival atmosphere which Andalucia is famous for was also present. 

It took over an hour to walk the length of the main street onto the convergence point at the bottom of the Rambla, a distance of about 5 mins. After a few short speeches the crowds were told to disperse and I couldn't help feel disappointed by the immediate compliance of the crowd.

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