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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
World
Nicola Slawson

Syria airstrike protesters rally across UK - as it happened

There is no case for UK intervention in Syria, says Stop the War Coalition

We’re wrapping up the live blog now as the main protest has drawn to a close. Thanks for joining us and for sharing all your comments under this article.

Lindsey German, who organised the Downing Street protest for Stop the War, said it was a “good start”.

“We’ve got thousands of people here and we’ve blocked Whitehall, and there are dozens of demonstrations going on around the country. I’m very pleased.”

German said Stop the War would be “back on the streets” on the eve of a commons vote if one is called by the prime minister.

“There are a whole number of protests planned for this week and we will be lobbying MPs and doing everything we can to try and stop this bombing.

“This won’t be one of those wars people forget about.”

Updated

At the London protest, Lois Davis, 61, a former university lecturer, said she had attended every anti-Iraq war protest and said it was “quite obvious we’re doing the same thing all over again”.

“It’s crazy and we have to do something about it. But unfortunately I think there will be strikes, unless Labour MPs realise they have a popular leader who represents public opinion.”

Davis said she was disappointed the protest hadn’t completely closed Whitehall to traffic. “To stop a war you’ve got be able to stop traffic,” she said.

Lois Davis with her placard
“It’s crazy and we have to do something about it,” Lois Davis said. Photograph: Joel Gunter for the Guardian

Updated

Lots of protests are happening across northern England today including one in Bradford due to start at 3pm.

In Manchester: “David Cameron, don’t you care?”

In Leeds: “Don’t attack Syria.”

Here is the letter that Mark Rylance and Brian Eno are delivering to David Cameron today.

Diane Abott has just spoken in London. She said: “Cameron has not made case for bombing”.

Updated

“The whole of Whitehall” has been taken over.

Ruthi Brandt, councillor for Carfax in Oxfordshire joined the protest in Oxford city centre. She said: “This knee jerk reaction is exactly what Isis wants. Rather than defeating them, it will only make them stronger.

“It will certainly not make us safer, and many innocent people will suffer. Have no lessons been learnt from the past 15 years?”

Daisy, 22, from Lewisham, carried a homemade placard calling for peace and love, in English and Arabic.

She said she was worried that bombing in Syria would foster greater division among British society.

“Fighting war with war is not the answer and fighting hatred win hatred is not he answer. We need to unite with the Muslims in our community. There have been a rise in islamophobic attacks against innocent people. I don’t want to hatred bred in my name. I do not want to see society segregated anymore, it’s 2015.”

Daisy from Lewisham, carried a homemade placard.
“ I don’t want to hatred bred in my name.” Photograph: Joel Gunter for the Guardian

Fred Rodrigues is protesting in Bristol. He explained why: “Bombing Syria will not solve the problem. Instead it will fuel the hatred, kill innocents and come back to us in the end.”

Images from the London protest.

A protester with a homemade sign at Whitehall in London.
A protester with a homemade sign at Whitehall in London. Photograph: Hannah McKay/PA
A protester with a homemade sign at Whitehall in London.
“Why do we kill people who kill people to show that killing people is wrong?” Photograph: Hannah McKay/PA
Protesters during a demonstration organised by Stop the War Coalition against proposed bombing in Syria.
Protesters during a demonstration organised by Stop the War Coalition against proposed bombing in Syria. Photograph: Hannah McKay/PA
All ages are protesting in London.
All ages are protesting in London. Photograph: Hannah McKay/PA

According to a Daily Mirror poll, less than half the country supports his plan to bomb IS strongholds - with the rest opposed or undecided.

The survey conducted for by Survation showed 59% of people surveyed believed bombing key Isis targets in the war-torn country will increase the risk of terrorist attacks in the UK.

While 48% of people said they backed air raids on the extremists, 30% want Britain to stay away and a further 21% are undecided.

Over 5000 people each day are using the Stop The War Coalition’s online tool to tell their MP not to bomb Syria, according to the campaign group. They expect to pass the 40,000 mark.

Protesters in Huddersfield are braving heavy rain. Adele Hopwood told me she is protesting because “as a Quaker and a mother I believe passionately in non-violent solutions.”

Here’s a short clip of Mark Rylance speaking to the protesters.

Are you protesting today? We’d like you to share your images, video and reasons why you’re taking part. Click on the blue button at the top of this article. We’ll use a selection of responses in our reporting.

Your security is most important. We recognise it may not always be safe to record or share your experiences – so please think about this when sharing your content with GuardianWitness.

Updated

Mark Rylance, actor and theatre director, is now addressing the crowds in London.

Musician and producer, Brian Eno has addressed the crowds in London.

Owen Jones is speaking to the crowd outside 10 Downing Street.

Updated

Chloe Radford, 20, from Brighton, said bombing in Syria would “create more of a vacuum and more of a problem”.

“They will kill more civilians and simply fuel more anger and resentment among the people in Syria.”


Radford said she “fully supported” Jeremy Corbyn’s stance against the strikes but said she was “pessimistic” that he would prevail.

“More and more Labour MPs seem to be coming out in favour of strikes.

“But I’m here anyway, worth a shot isn’t is?”

Updated

So far we’re unsure of exactly how many protesters are out in London today. Estimates on Twitter have ranged from hundreds to millions. It’s safe to say the latter is an exaggeration.

Updated

“David Cameron, here us say. Airstrikes no way.”

Protesters are chanting: “Don’t bomb Syria. No more wars.”

Pictures of the protests nationally are being shared on Twitter. Here’s an image from Cardiff:

And London:

Bristol:

Norwich:

And Sheffield:

Are you protesting today?

Updated

My colleague, Joel Gunter, is at the protest in London and is live-tweeting what’s happening. You can follow him on Twitter: @joelmgunter.

Don’t forget wherever you are protesting today, we want to see your pictures and videos.

Share your images, video and reasons why you’re taking part by clicking on the blue button at the top of this article. We’ll use a selection of responses in our reporting.

Your security is most important. We recognise it may not always be safe to record or share your experiences – so please think about this when sharing your content with GuardianWitness.

Protesters are now gathering in London. Daniel Beall, 33, came from Croydon with a homemade placard.

“The sign is supposed to be a dad’s army kind of thing,” he said.

“I came down today to voice my disagreement with the proposed war on Syria. Dropping bombs didn’t work in Iraq, it didn’t work in Afghanistan, and it’s not worked in Libya.

A protester with a homemade placard.
Daniel Beall with his homemade placard. Photograph: Joel Gunter for the Guardian

“We may have got rid of some brutal dictators but we’ve stoked up more extremism, more anger and more discontent among the populations of these countries.”

Beall said he was “very pessimistic” about stopping the strikes.

“I think there will be strikes sadly. I think David Cameron is determined to go in one way or another.

“It’s a shame Jeremy Corbyn’s own party have turned against him.”

Updated

Actor Mark Rylance and musician Brian Eno will deliver a letter to David Cameron today signed by writers, actors, politicans, filmmakers, trade unionists, artists. In it, they urge Cameron to “look for political solutions as the only viable way to end the conflict.”

The letter, signed by Frankie Boyle, Will Self and Caroline Lucas among others, reads:

The current rush to bomb Syria following the terrible events in Paris risks a dangerous escalation which will inflame the war there and increase bitterness against the West. The US has been bombing Isis for a year and admits that Isis is as strong as ever and has continued recruiting.

The experience of the wars in Afghanistan Iraq and Libya shows that Western military interventions lead to large scale casualties, devastating destruction and huge flows of refugees.

Far from tackling terrorism the last fourteen years of war have seen massively increased Jihadi terrorist organisation around the world.

Rather than ignoring this recent history by joining the long list of countries that have bombed Syria in the last year we urge the government to stop arming reactionary and aggressive regimes like Saudi Arabia and Qatar that sponsor terrorist groups and look for political solutions as the only viable way to end the conflict.

Updated

David Cameron published a document on Thursday outlining his case for airstrikes against Islamic State. He said: “The threats to our interests and to our people are such that we cannot afford to stand aside and not to act.

“Throughout Britain’s history we have been called on time and again to make the hardest of decisions in defence of our citizens and our country. Today one of the greatest threats we face to our security is the threat from Isil.”

In a statement to the Commons the prime minister asked: “If not now, when?”

Updated

Nearly 6,000 people have so far indicated on Facebook that they will attend the London protest organised by the Stop the War coalition.
The Downing Street protest will begin at midday. Similar protests, public meetings and actions are planned in 18 towns and cities, including Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Leeds, Manchester, Newcastle, Nottingham, Sheffield and Swansea.

Protesters have begun gathering outside Sheffield town hall.

Welcome to our live blog covering today’s protests against government plans to launch a bombing campaign in Syria.

Marches, public meetings and actions are planned in 18 towns and cities across the country, including a large gathering outside Downing Street and we’ll be blogging about the events throughout the day.

If you’re attending a protest today, we’d like you to share your images, video and reasons why you’re taking part. Click on the blue button at the top of this article. We’ll use a selection of responses in our reporting.
Your security is most important. We recognise it may not always be safe to record or share your experiences – so please think about this when sharing your content with GuardianWitness.

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