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Date Posted: 00:57:29 02/16/03 Sun
Author: February 16, 2003
Subject: Re:'Biggest-ever' rally says no to war streets of Sydney
In reply to: Saturday, February 15 's message, "Millions took to the streets of Europe to protest against a rush to war with Iraq" on 15:50:09 02/15/03 Sat

gedoudahere (ID#: 405910) Sydney's Biggest Aussie rally ever says 'No'. 16/2/03 5:36:35 PM 6043406
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'Biggest-ever' rally says no to war
By Joe Hildebrand
February 16, 2003
HUNDREDS of thousands of anti-war protesters poured through the streets of Sydney today in what organisers claimed was Australia's biggest demonstration ever.

Biggest ever protest hits Sydney to say no to war Streets were closed and traffic diverted throughout the CBD, while police were forced to divert tens of thousands of marchers to avoid a massive crush in the city's Hyde Park.

Despite hot, muggy conditions that eventually gave way to rain, police said the protesters were cool-headed and no incidents of violence had been reported.

Greens Senator Bob Brown, who believed the turnout to be around 500,000, said the protest was the largest in Australia's history.

"Whatever (the number is), it's the biggest rally in Australian history," he said.

Police said at least 200,000 people were present but the sheer volume of people made it impossible to accurately gauge numbers.

Rocks police Superintendent Phil Rogerson agreed it was the biggest march police had encountered since the Vietnam era.

"Over the last ten years we haven't seen any protests this size," he said.

The protest was part of a series of rallies this weekend that attracted hundreds of thousands of people across the country and millions throughout the world.

Always Greener star John Howard, an opponent of his political namesake on a number of issues, and journalist and author John Pilger joined politicians from the three main opposition parties to address the crowd.

All warned Prime Minister John Howard to ignore the show of people power at his peril, with Labor heavyweight and former foreign affairs spokesman Laurie Brereton suggesting the issue could end Mr Howard's career.

"If he's not prepared to listen, then he's on the path to the end of his political career," Mr Brereton told AAP at the Sydney rally.

"This is not only the biggest protest this city has ever had, it's also the widest cross-section of people."

Pilger said the prime minister, US President George W Bush and British PM Tony Blair were embarking on an "unprovoked, murderous attack" on the people of Iraq.

"But I think this is one time in history when the sheer power of public opinion might well work," he told the crowd in Sydney.

Pilger also took aim at NSW Premier Bob Carr and Opposition Leader Simon Crean for not attending the rally.

Mr Carr said today he was sympathetic with the protesters but would not attend because he did not want to be pigeonholed by other people.

"I will frame my own views on this," he said.

"I'm not going to go to a meeting where other people will frame views for me ...

"(But) I think the American case is looking weaker by the hour. I don't believe Australian troops should be committed, certainly not without the sanction of the UN."

Former UN weapons inspector Richard Butler was also at the rally but refused to talk to AAP because of an exclusive deal with The Sunday Telegraph.

AAP

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Replies:

All Ords 2.8. (NT) -- All Ords quite good at 2.8 support level in the past, 02:23:43 02/16/03 Sun
Feb. 16 � National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice slammed the United Nations Security Council -- Rice toldNBC News that the time fordiplomacy is running out., 14:58:00 02/16/03 Sun
- ups annd downs with headlines as the two sides battle each other U.S. verses U.N. (NT) -- -for ten years the U.S. has been wanting war with Iraq, 15:40:14 02/16/03 Sun
  - in all of that time the U.N. has been playing the inspector card (NT) -- and stalling., 15:41:34 02/16/03 Sun
    - the U.N.'s ploy in that ten years has been succesful (NT) -- they have managed to stall it using the inspector card., 15:43:33 02/16/03 Sun