Anti-war protests
could turn to riots
Activists plan to 'disrupt the normal flow of life' in America
March 10, 2003
When the shooting war starts in Iraq, some radical anti-war activists in America say they plan to move from peaceful protests to riots, destruction of property and other means to "disrupt the normal flow of life" in America.
That's the threat from organizer Leslie Cagan, the long-time Communist head of the United for Peace and Justice Coalition.
Civil disobedience demonstrations are being planned for Washington, New York, San Francisco and other major cities. A group called Direct Action to Stop the War, based in San Francisco, is planning to block streets and highways in an effort to bring the war home to Americans, according to G2 Bulletin.
Similar plans are being made in Great Britain – the U.S.' other major ally in the likely conflict with Iraq.
"We want people to walk out of their offices, strike, sit down, occupy buildings, demonstrate, take direct action and do whatever they think fit the moment war starts," said Lindsey German of the Stop the War Coalition. "We want to completely close down Whitehall and prevent the Ministry of Defense going to work."
"We think the next phase will see an escalation of tactics," said Bill Hackwell, an organizer with International Answer, an umbrella organization dominated by the Communist Workers World Party. "We're not saying [the next phase] will be violent at all," Hackwell said. "But you'll see more people doing sit-ins and other forms of nonviolent civil disobedience."
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