STOP THE WAR COALITION NEWSLETTER No. 1125 11 November 2009 Email [email protected] Tel: 020 7801 2768 Web: http://.stopwar.org.uk Twitter: http://twitter.com/STWuk
IN THIS NEWSLETTER 1) ANTI-WAR SOLDIER ARRESTED: PROTEST NOW 2) MILITARY FAMILIES DELIVER PETITION TO GORDON BROWN ******************************* EMERGENCY PROTEST AT THE MINISTRY OF DEFENCE DEFEND LANCE CORPORAL JOE GLENTON THURSDAY 12 NOVEMBER, 5PM MINISTRY OF DEFENCE, WHITEHALL (OPPOSITE DOWNING STREET) Facebook Event - Please circulate: http://bit.ly/2h9IOf ******************************* 1) ANTI-WAR SOLDIER ARRESTED: PROTEST NOW Lance Corporal Joe Glenton, the soldier who faces desertion charges for refusing to return to Afghanistan, has been arrested and charged with five further offences for leading Stop the War's demonstration in London on 24 October and for expressing his opposition to the media in defiance of orders. The new charges carry a maximum of ten years imprisonment in addition to the sentence of three to four years that Joe could get if the desertion charge is upheld. Joe's mother, Sue Glenton, has spoken out against his arrest: "You've got government ministers, army commanders and MPs speaking every day in support of the war. What's so scary about a Lance Corporal having his say? My son is only speaking out for what he thinks is right." Joe's arrest and imprisonment are signs of panic by the government and military commanders, faced with an ever growing majority of the British public opposing the war and an increasing number of prominent voices in the media calling for the withdrawal of British troops. A poll published in the Independent shows that only one in five voters believes that Britain's military presence in Afghanistan is helping to protect the country from terrorism, as Gordon Brown insists. The same poll shows that 48 percent of voters think the war in Afghanistan increases the risk of domestic terrorist attack. Stop the War has launched a campaign to defend Joe Glenton and his right to freedom of speech. (For updates see http://www.stopwar.org.uk.) A protest has been called outside the Ministry of Defence in Whitehall on Thursday 12 November at 5pm and we list below what you can do to support the only serving soldier who has so far had the courage to stand up for what many in the army believe; that this is a futile and unwinnable war. WHAT YOU CAN DO: * EMERGENCY PROTEST AT THE MINISTRY OF DEFENCE If you live in London, please try to join the protest on Thursday 12 November, 5pm, at the Ministry of Defence, Whitehall (opposite Downing Street) FACEBOOK EVENT (Please circulate): http://bit.ly/2h9IOf * WRITE TO DEFENCE SECRETARY BOB AINSWORTH EMAIL: [email protected] or [email protected] WRITE: Secretary of State for Defence, Floor 5, Main Building, Whitehall, London, SW1A 2HB FAX: 020 7218 6538 * COLLECT PETITION SIGNATURES The Defend Joe Glenton petition can be downloaded here: http://bit.ly/10gDKb * WRITE LETTERS OF SUPPORT TO JOE GLENTON Lance Corporal Joe Glenton Military Corrective Training Centre (MCTC) Berechurch Hall Camp Colchester Essex CO2 9NU * EMAIL SUPPORT [email protected] ******************************* 2) MILITARY FAMILIES DELIVER PETITION TO GORDON BROWN On 21 December, Stop the War's Bring the Troops Home Now petition will be delivered to Gordon Brown at Downing Street by soldiers, ex-soldiers and military families. More than 15,000 have already signed, but we want to get many more signatures before 21 December. You can sign online but we are also encouraging our supporters to download the petition and collect signatures among friends, work colleagues, fellow students, neighbours etc. If you live in London, make a note of 21 December, as the soldiers, ex-soldiers and military families would welcome the widest support from the anti-war movement when they deliver the petition to Gordon Brown. (More details to follow soon.) _______________________________________________ NetBehaviour mailing list [email protected] http://www.netbehaviour.org/mailman/listinfo/netbehaviour
