American expatriates to lead the protests against Bush
By Marie Woolf, Chief Political Correspondent
15 November 2003
Americans marching beneath a banner proclaiming "Proud of My Country, Shamed
by My President" will lead a demonstration against George Bush during his
state visit next week. The Stop the War Coalition, which is organising the
rally, expects up to 100,000 people to take to the streets of London and
express their hostility to the American President.
Trade union members, Muslim groups, environmentalists and peace activists
will join forces for the march, with about a hundred US expats, who are
adamant the event should be perceived as an indictment of their President,
not a snub to their country.
Luke Robinson, 29, a website developer from the United States who has lived
in Britain for four years, is among those who will attend the protest. He
will be joined by American academics and City workers."Most of us love our
country and won't take any anti-American sentiment but we feel this guy is
leading us down a bad path," he said. "Allowing a fully fledged state visit
is [sending] a bad message that Britain is really backing Bush. The pictures
from this visit will definitely be used in his election campaign."
Demonstrators carrying placards reading "Bush - Blair Dumb and Dumber",
"Bush Eco-terrorist" and "George W.ar Criminal", as well as blood-splattered
anti-Bush banners, will gather in Trafalgar Square where a mock statue of
the US President will be symbolically toppled.
Coachloads of demonstrators who oppose the war in Iraq and Mr Bush's
environmental and economic policies are to be bused in from Wales, Scotland
and the West Country among other points. Michael Moore, the American film
maker and comedian who is known for his outspoken views on the US leader, is
donating $1,000 to transport demonstrators in from Manchester. Pupils
missing school, worshippers from mosques around Britain and a busload of
pensioners from an old people's home in Hounslow, west London, will also
join the march to express their anger at the visit. Alongside them will be
members of the far-left Socialist Workers' Party, the Labour Party and
Liberal Democrats, and peace demonstrators from CND and other anti-war
groups. A large contingent of Greens will make their feelings known on
President Bush's environmental policies. They plan to express their
opposition with a week of events including a street party and an anti-Bush
home-made T-shirt competition outside Buckingham Palace on Wednesday
evening.
"Bush would be better off staying at home to sign the Kyoto Protocol on
global warming than coming to Britain," said Spencer Fitzgibbon, a former
army officer and member of the Green Party executive.
The exact route of the march is still being negotiated with the Metropolitan
Police, who will have 5,000 officers on duty. The protesters want to parade
past the Houses of Parliament and Downing Street but police have suggested a
shorter route, which would keep them away from Whitehall.
There will be 500 stewards to try to ensure the march does not deteriorate
into the sort of violent attacks on American businesses, such as McDonald's
restaurants, that have marred anti-capitalism demonstrations in recent
years.
The march organisers insist they have not had any trouble during seven
previous events and insist Thursday's protest will not be hijacked by
anarchist groups. Meetings with the police yesterday were said to have been
constructive. They will meet again on Monday to discuss the route.
A spokesman for the Stop the War Coalition said: "We are not anti the
American people - in fact many share our reservations about President Bush.
This is about the President. There are 500 local Stop the War groups who are
bringing people from around the country and the phones are ringing non-stop.
We are making 6,000 placards."
The march represents the main event in four days of anti-Bush events, for
which the President has drafted in an entourage of more than 500 people,
including up to 200 secret service and security personnel. On Tuesday
activists are organising a public rally in London with high-profile speakers
including the acclaimed playwright and actor Harold Pinter, and the Vietnam
veteran Ron Kovic, whose story inspired the Tom Cruise film Born on the
Fourth of July. The former Labour cabinet minister Tony Benn and George
Galloway MP, who was recently thrown out of the Labour Party for his public
comments about the war, will also speak.
There will be a march to the American consulate in Edinburgh on Wednesday
and a petition from people throughout Britain will be presented to Downing
Street on Monday.
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