50,000 march for peace in central London
"Blair does not speak for Britain"

The Stop the War Coalition hailed today's huge anti-war protest in central London as "the tip of an iceberg of dissent and outrage".

Less than one week after the US and Britain began their military assault on Afghanistan, 50,000 people from all over Britain joined one of the biggest and most diverse demonstrations seen in central London in many years.

"The extraordinary turn-out for this demonstration proves that the there is a substantial, diverse and rapidly growing coalition of people strongly opposed to this unjust and immoral war," said Mike Marqusee, on behalf of the Stop the War Coalition. "Along with the protests taking place today in other cities and towns across the country, this is the tip of an iceberg of dissent and outrage.

"It's clear that Tony Blair does not speak for Britain - and we hope the world will now take note of that fact.

"From now on, neither the media nor the political establishment in this country can afford to ignore the palpable reality of a mass anti-war movement embracing a wide variety of social constituencies."

Anti-Racist campaigner Suresh Grover, chair of the National Civil Rights Movement, and a member of the Stop the War Coalition steering committee, described the march as "probably the most multi-racial protest ever seen in central London. It's a huge success. People of south Asian descent in Britain have served notice on Blair: we will not accept the cruel hypocrisy of this war."

Among the groups taking part in the march were Muslim organizations, peace organizations, student unions, anti-racist and community organizations, trades unions, Palestinian campaigners, environmentalists, Lawyers Against the War, Media Workers Against the War, Medics Against the War and many, many others. Coaches arrived from Birmingham, Cardiff, Cambridge, Sheffield and elsewhere.

The Stop the War Coalition has announced that the next national demonstration against the war will be held in central London on Sunday, 18 November.

The Stop the War Coalition was formed in London out of a meeting of more than 2000 people held at Friends House a fortnight ago. Sponsors include: MPs George Galloway, Tam Dalyell, Jeremy Corbyn, and Alan Simpson, Harold Pinter, writer George Monbiot, Bob Crow of the RMT, Mark Seddon (Labour NEC and Tribune editor), Mick Rix (ASLEF), John Foster (NUJ), Tariq Ali, Bernard Regan (NUT Executive), peace activists Hugh Stephens and Jim Addington, Suresh Grover (chair of the National Civil Rights Movement), Asad Rehman from the Newham Monitoring Project, Andrew Murray from ASLEF, Dave Nellist and Liz Davies from the Socialist Alliance, Mark Seddon (Tribune), Rosie Boycott (journalist), Jeremy Dear (NUJ), Hilary Wainwright from Red Pepper, Chris Nineham from Globalise Resistance, broadcaster John Pilger, playwright Caryl Churchill, writer Mike Marqusee, novelist and screenwriter Ronan Bennett, lawyer Soraya Lawrence and writer and comedian Mark Steel.

For more information call Lindsey German 07810 540584 or Mike Marqusee 0207 275 9399