19 March 2004: for immediate use

 

PHOTO-OPPORTUNITY

National Demonstration Saturday 20 March – A Year of Lies!

CND, the Stop the War Coalition and the Muslim Association of Britain are holding a national demonstration on Saturday 20th March to mark the 1st anniversary of the Iraq war. The demonstration is calling for an end to the lies surrounding the war. The demonstration will assemble at 12 noon at Speakers Corner in Hyde Park and march to Trafalgar Square for a rally.

A huge Trident Missile (Britain’s own WMD) will be blown up at 10am on the morning of the 20th March at the Speakers Corner end of North Carriage Drive, Hyde Park. Trident will then be carried on the march by Weapons’ Inspectors with signs saying ‘We’ve found the WMD’.

CND will be highlighting the hypocrisy of the UK government which embarked on an illegal war on the basis of unproven claims that Iraq was hiding weapons of mass destruction whilst simultaneously maintaining its own nuclear weapons – in spite of its obligation under the Non-Proliferation Treaty to get rid of them.

Many thousands are expected to attend the demonstration to march against an illegal war and an ongoing illegal occupation. The march is part of an international day of action against war, mourning the loss of innocent lives through illegal aggression which has resulted in a humanitarian disaster.

Kate Hudson, Chair of CND said:

“The Iraq Survey Group’s failure to find weapons of mass destruction has exposed as lies the British government’s central justification for war. It also underlines the hypocrisy of the US and British governments, which maintain their own nuclear arsenals and have indicated willingness to use them in a pre-emptive strike, even against a non-nuclear weapons state.”

-ENDS-

Notes to Editor
1. For further information please contact Ruth Tanner CND’s Press & Communications Officer on 0207 7002350 or 07968 420859
2. Photo opportunities
An inflatable Trident Missile will be blown up at 10am on the morning of the 20th March at the Speakers Corner end of North Carriage Drive. There will be Weapons’ Inspectors with signs saying ‘We’ve found the WMD’.
3. On Wednesday evening at 8pm in the CND office, 162 Holloway Road, there will be lots of people making placards, signs and costumes to take to the march on Saturday.
4. For interviews with Kate Hudson, Chair of CND, Bruce Kent, Vice President of CND, or Sophie Bolt, Chair of London Region CND please contact Ruth Tanner CND’s Press & Communications Officer on 0207 7002350 or 07968 420859.