PRESS RELEASE
Voices in the Wilderness UK [A]
17 March 2004
Contact 0845 458 2564, 07791 486 484.

Theatre of War: Whitehall protest challenges year of invasion and occupation of Iraq

Friday 19th, 11am, Whitehall, London: Anti-war protestors will be marking the first anniversary of the illegal invasion and occupation of Iraq this Friday with a series of theatrical performances and sketches in and around Whitehall featuring giant puppets, props and costumes [B]. At the same time, demonstrators in Yorkshire will be blockading the US spy base at Menwith Hill and protests have been planned in over 200 cities around the world for the following day, when tens of thousands are expected to march in London [C].

Friday’s visual protest in London – featuring the various characters involved, including a ‘police officer’, a ‘judge’ and ‘representatives’ from corporate giants Bechtel and Halliburton - will highlight the lies, killings and the opposition that have accompanied the invasion and occupation, as well as the ongoing corporate pillage and the US/UK political control of Iraq [D]. Testimonies from Iraqis who have been injured, detained without trial or whose relatives have been killed during the occupation will also be read out.

Organiser Gabriel Carlyle said, ‘One year ago the US and British governments launched an illegal invasion of Iraq on the basis of lies and distortions, killing over 10,000 people in a matter of weeks. Today, they continue to occupy Iraq militarily, have enacted sweeping new laws to sell off Iraq’s economy, are setting up a new secret police force containing former members of Saddam’s security services and are planning a bogus July 1st ‘sovereignty transfer’ that will actually maintain the occupation. Now more than ever we need to hear the voices of ordinary Iraqis and take action in solidarity with them.’

The tour will start at 11am at the Edith Cavell statue in St Martin’s Place, opposite the entrance to the National Portrait Gallery (nr. Leicester Square tube). It will visit a number of sites around Whitehall before finishing in Parliament Square around 1pm.
Contact 0845 458 2564, 07791 486 484.

NOTES
[A] Voices in the Wilderness UK has been campaigning on Iraq for the last six years.
[B] Other groups participating on the day include the d10 group (www.thed10group.org.uk) and Theatre of War (www.theatreofwar.org).
[C] See www.blockthebase.org.uk (Menwith), www.unitedforpeace.org (international protests) and www.stopwar.org.uk (London).
[D] See here for more on corporate pillage and here for more on political control.