200 Take Part in Belfast Anti War Demo

antrim | anti-war / imperialism | news report Saturday March 20, 2004 16:35 by Cllr Eoin O'Broin - Sinn Féin eoinobroin at hotmail dot com

Call for Troops to Withdraw and Iraqi Self Determination

More than 200 people marched through Belfast's Royal Avenue this afternoon on the 1st Anniversary of the US led invasion of Iraq.

Speakers from the Firebrigades Union, the Belfast Islamic Centre, the representative of the Basque Community and Sinn Féin all called for the US lead coalition troops to withdraw from Iraq immediately and allow the people of Iraq to determine their own affairs.

Speakers accused Bush, Blair and other leaders of misleading and ignoring world opinion and destabilising Iraq, the Middle East and indeed the world.

An earlier protest in West Belfast highlighting recent killings, one by a Spanish police officer, in the Basque Country, held a solidarity feeder march to join the main anti war demo.

Other groups in attendance were the SWP, the SP, the CP, Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign, Ógra Shinn Féin, Belfast Anarchists, as well as many non alligned individuals.