Wales remembers 15 February 2003

IssueMarch 2013
News by Lotte Reimer

The vigil recalled when two million people spoke up — and those in power in Westminster turned a deaf ear.

At the Cardiff vigil, Jill Gough, national secretary of CND Cymru, said: ‘Wales was in uproar in the weeks leading up to that demonstration. The phone rang continuously…. It did feel as if the whole world was on the streets for peace on 15 February’.

Adam Johannes of Cardiff Stop the War remembered: ‘I will never forget the hope we all felt that day, the unity, solidarity and the internationalism.’

Keith Ross, a former service man from Swansea, said: ‘Tony Blair lied, and British soldiers died.… Tony Blair is enjoying his comfortable retirement, but the nightmare continues for the people of Iraq and Afghanistan.’

Ray Davies, CND Cymru vice-chair and Côr Cochion member, said: ‘Even though… the Iraq war went ahead, there was no defeat for the peace movement. Countless thousands who had never before demonstrated made their voices heard that day. We are still here’.

Topics: Anti-war action
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