More than 1500 people marched and rallied in Sheffield today, Sat 28th October making the event possibly the largest since the Great Miners strike of 1984-85. It was incredibly diverse with pensioners, children, muslim elders, young Asians, skateboard kids, mums, dads, ravers, women groups, and political activists of every persuasion. Sheffield Food Not Bombs provided free food.
As well as the usual monochrome placards,a riot of colour was provided by loads of home made pleas for peace and tolerance. The Bikes Not Bombs contingent added even more colour and some noise to the assembled throng. After lively and raucous march, with respectful policing (except for the usual Spielbergs with cameras) there was a large rally.
This heard a top level range of speakers including Mark Seddon, a senior Labour Party Left Winger and editor of Tribune, Hilary Wainwright from Red Pepper magazine, and Helen John, vice-Chair of C.N.D.. But a local Afghanistan man perhaps got the loudest cheer with an impassioned plea to end the bombing in his country. A senior activist from the Palestinian Solidarity Campaign also raised loud cheers when he called for an end to Israeli occupation of his homeland.
The event ended with DJ´s from the newly formed Beats not Bombs. Old hands said this was one of the best protests they had been on outside London, clearly another sign that a large vibrant peaceful and positive anti-war/pro-peace movement is growing here and around the country.