Balmain calls for peace
BY LACHLAN MALLOCH
SYDNEY — Chants of "Come on Balmain, stand for peace, join the march on Darling Street" echoed from 300 anti-war protesters who marched through Balmain on March 15.
Led by peace drummers, the march, which was organised by the Leichhardt Stop the War Group (LSTWG), was received with clapping, cheering and peace symbols from pedestrians and those in the Darling Street cafes.
Prior to marching, the rally heard from Paul Benedek, a member of LSTWG and the Socialist Alliance candidate for Port Jackson: "This historic movement has slowed the warmongers hand. We need to do everything possible to stop them completely."
Another candidate for Port Jackson, the Greens Jamie Parker, attacked the major parties' pro-war positions.
Mollie Boland, a year 9 student at Riverside Girls High and leader of Books not Bombs also spoke. The march ended at a peace festival in Gladstone Park with live music, a "speakers corner" and sponge throwing at masks of John Howard and George Bush.
Peace rally in Cooma
On March 15, more than 200 people gathered in Centennial Park, Cooma, in the NSW Southern Highlands, to protest against the looming US war against Iraq and the Australian government's determination to defy the Australian people and take part.
The rally was addressed by James Vassilopoulos from the ACT Network Opposing War, Katherine Kelly from the Greens and Vernon Bailey from the Medical Association for the Prevention of War. The action was organised by Monaro People for Peace.
Participants formed a human peace symbol and placed dozens of white dove symbols in the park's lawn.
'The war can be stopped!', protesters declare
BY DAVE KELLS & RACHEL EVANS
MELBOURNE — Around 150 people took to the streets of suburban Northcote to oppose the US war on Iraq. The Darebin Anti-War Group organised the rally outside the Northcote Town Hall. From the town hall, the group marched to All Nations Park via Northcote Plaza, where cheers and claps greeted protesters.
300 rally in Sydney
SYDNEY — Three-hundred people attended a protest organised at short notice in Sydney on March 14. The protest had a strong anti-imperialist theme: highlighting not only opposition to war on Iraq, but also solidarity with Palestine, opposition to the US "Star Wars" missile program and the use of the Pine Gap spy base in Australia.
Coburg residents say 'No War'
On March 15, 100 people gathered in the Coburg mall to hear Moreland city councillors, members of the Greens, the Socialist Alliance and the Labor Party and Bilal Cleland from the Muslim community argue why the war on Iraq has to be stopped. The protesters then marched to the office of local right-wing federal Labor member Kelvin Thompson, who told the crowd that he was opposed to a US-led war.
Parramatta protests war
SYDNEY — Parramatta had its first demonstration against the war on March 15. The 60-strong demonstration was organised by the Socialist Alliance and chaired by Roberto Jorquera, the alliance's candidate for Auburn in the March 22 state election.
The rally took to Parramatta's main street with loud and spirited chants of "No war!" and "Chevron, Mobil, BP, Shell: Take your war and go to hell!".
Chippendale-Darlington community for peace
BY NORMAN BREWER
SYDNEY — The newly formed Chippendale-Darlington Community for Peace group organised a Peace Picnic on March 15. The 25 anti-war activists, who produced various hand-made placards, marched, sang and chanted to Victoria Park, where
they held a speakout.
Fitzroy for peace
MELBOURNE — Eighty local residents marched through the espresso district of Fitzroy on March 15, chanting "No blood for oil" and "USA, please explain, why did you install Hussein?". The group decided to meet again at the Fitzroy library at 6.30 on March 25 to discuss the possible formation of a Carlton/Fitzroy anti-war group.
From Green Left Weekly, March 19, 2003.
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