Demonstration to call for end to 'war on terrorism'

Members of Pax Christi, Christian CND and other church groups from around the UK will be joining a national demonstration in London on Saturday to call for an end to the 'war on terrorism'. Speakers will include Catholic MP George Galloway, human rights lawyer Louise Christian, Tony Benn, Carole Naughton, chair of CND, and Jim Mortimer, former general secretary of the Labour Party. Campaigners say that while the US has already spent $5.3 billion on its war in Afghanistan, during the same period, it has spent only a small fraction of that sum - about $61 million - on humanitarian supplies. A spokesperson said: "Saturday's protest against the open ended and ongoing 'war on terrorism' will be large and diverse. Millions of people in Britain are appalled by the continued bombing of Afghanistan, the brutal treatment of prisoners in Guantanamo, the threat to invade Iraq and Bush's 'axis of evil' speech." The demonstration will assemble at 1pm at Hyde Park, and march to a rally at Trafalgar Square.