Youth Against the War protest against BP
MILLIONS JOINED the huge anti-war demonstrations across the world on 15 February. Many were young people, travelling from schools and colleges across the country to take part in Britain’s biggest-ever demonstration.
Clare James, ISR rep, Stop the War Coalition
International Socialist Resistance’s (ISR) main campaign is ‘Youth Against the War’. ISR members and supporters in many different countries are building for school and college strikes on the first day of war (Day X).
‘Youth Against the War’ groups protested together on many demonstrations worldwide, including in London, with the slogan of “No Blood for Oil!” and “Strike on 7 March and Day X”. (The Stop the War Coalition has subsequently organised a strike for the 5th.)
In England and Wales we’re also calling for 5 March to be a strike day, (in some areas it will still be the 7th March) once students return from half-term. This can help build for ‘Day X’. Even if the war starts before 5 March, it can still help to build the anti-war movement.
On Saturday’s demo, young people were taking leaflets out of our hands quicker than we could give them out. Many young people filled in cards to sign up to organising action in their schools and colleges.
Many young people are disgusted at the death and destruction war on Iraq would bring and fed up with an underfunded education system, low-paid jobs, unaffordable housing etc.
All these issues and more could easily be solved with extra money. Governments claim there isn’t the money to give us a decent future but they’re spending £ billions on bombing other young people in Iraq!
That’s why schools and college students should take strike action against the war – it shows we’re serious about making our point heard. We’re appealing to teachers, lecturers and other school and college staff to take part in strike action and support students in this protest.
Organising school and college strikes – a guide
GET AS many people involved as possible. Set up a group in your school or college by advertising a regular meeting point, time and date.
These meetings can discuss and decide where to meet on strike days, what time, whether you will have a demonstration etc. These meetings can also ensure that anyone with questions and ideas can put them forward.
Give out leaflets and sign up students to taking strike action. This helps to build the unity of the strike days. Put up posters if you can, ask to speak to classes, organise a debate on the war.
We have the following material available; leaflets, posters, pledge forms, letters to give to the teachers’ unions asking for support, stickers.
To organise a strike and/or join ISR get in touch on:
020 8558 79 47
[email protected]
www.anticapitalism.org.uk
PO Box 858, London, E11 1YG.
INTERNATIONAL SOCIALIST Resistance (ISR) is an international anti-capitalist youth organisation with groups in many different countries.
Initiated by the Socialist Party, ISR is a democratic, broad organisation fighting for a socialist alternative to capitalism.
