BY PAUL BENEDEK
SYDNEY — In the most passionate display of anti-war sentiment seen on Sydney streets for months, more than 5000 people roared their opposition to US president George Bush on October 22, the day he arrived in Australia.
Sydney Town Hall was densely packed. High school students stood shoulder-to-shoulder with Syrian and Palestinian activists, Jews for Peace, a very prominent Socialist Alliance contingent, Greens and Democrats, many office workers who joined the rally after work, unionists and longer-time peace campaigners, before marching on the US consulate.
The home-made placards smattered through the crowd indicated its diversity: "I will not vote for a poodle", "Regime change? Howard, Bush — you're next", "Concerned Americans against Bush", "The W stands for Wanker", "The southern cross doesn't belong in the star-spangled banner", and "Go home George, we have enough liars here already".
The crowd burst into applause and movement as rappers MC Trey and Maya Jupiter kicked off the rally with a Free Palestine rap, a theme that ran throughout the rally. Rihab Charida, spokesperson for Sawiyan, Coalition for Palestine, explained that "people don't hate the US because of its freedoms, but because it stops people around the world from being free. It's American bullets that kill Palestinians every day."
Greens senator Bob Brown was cheered when he demanded that Bush and Howard "Remove yourself from Iraq and return Iraq to the Iraqi people!" David Barsamian, a visiting US alternative media activist, talked about the massive propaganda campaign peace activists face in the US. "We're told that we are under attack, we're told that terrorists are everywhere... It's up to us to tell a different story, to challenge the lies ... We need to create our own media." Alternative media was well received — more than 300 copies of Â鶹´«Ã½ Weekly were sold.
"You can put up your barricades, tell your lies in the media about weapons of mass destruction, about violent protesters, but you cannot stop the revival of this movement!" exclaimed Books not Bombs spokesperson and Resistance activist Kylie Moon, to thunderous applause.
Other speakers included Labor parliamentarian Harry Quick and Jim Casey from the firefighters union.
At the US consulate, Ariel Guides, from the Solidarity of Philippines Workers (BMP), received a cheer with his rousing speech about the 50,000-strong anti-Bush demonstration in Manila just days before, and the walk-out of seven MPs when Bush addressed the Philippines parliament.
"The protest was fantastic", rally organiser Nick Everett told Â鶹´«Ã½ Weekly. "It showed that opposition to the US-led war drive is alive and kicking".
The Stop the War Coalition is supporting the November 9 international day of action in solidarity with Palestine. Contact Rihab on 0405 760 929 to get involved.
From Â鶹´«Ã½ Weekly, October 29, 2003.
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