Takver's Soapbox |		www.takver.com

booksnotbombs_03mar05_013.jpg 93 KB Size: 883x475 Mar 5 2003 2:00:30 pm Students in front of the State Library	booksnotbombs_03mar05_002.jpg 185.7 KB Size: 1300x445 Panorama: Students in front of the State Library, Melbourne	booksnotbombs_03mar05_003.jpg 62 KB Size: 640x481 Mar 5 2003 1:43:35 pm 2 wrongs don't make a right banner
booksnotbombs_03mar05_004.jpg 57 KB Size: 639x481 Mar 5 2003 1:47:32 pm Our lives have just begun, don't end them with a gun.... banner	booksnotbombs_03mar05_005.jpg 73 KB Size: 640x480 Mar 5 2003 1:48:11 pm War is Disease Peace is the Cure	booksnotbombs_03mar05_006.jpg 73 KB Size: 640x480 Mar 5 2003 1:58:08 pm We are all terrorists banner
booksnotbombs_03mar05_007.jpg 55 KB Size: 641x479 Mar 5 2003 2:00:54 pm placards on Swanston Street	booksnotbombs_03mar05_008.jpg 56 KB Size: 640x481 Mar 5 2003 2:02:06 pm Footscray College anti-war banner	booksnotbombs_03mar05_009.jpg 58 KB Size: 640x481 Mar 5 2003 2:03:03 pm There is no oil in Korea
booksnotbombs_03mar05_010.jpg 70 KB Size: 640x480 Mar 5 2003 2:15:24 pm Books not Bombs	booksnotbombs_03mar05_012.jpg 96 KB Size: 640x480 Mar 5 2003 2:17:39 pm Crowd scene looking at Melbourne Central	booksnotbombs_03mar05_001.jpg 84.1 KB Size: 640x480 Mar 5 2003 2:18:54 pm war is not the way

A carnival atmosphere pervaded the school students outside the State Library in Melbourne today. Many of the students were present in school uniform with home made banners and placards opposing the war on Iraq.

Estimates of the crowd ranged from 2,000 (the police) to 7,000 (the organisers) I thought there were about 4,000 people present. Most of them were high school students, with a small sprinkling of university/TAFE students and supportive adults.

Some of the banners said: "Our lives have just begun, don't end them with a gun"; "2 wrongs don't make it right So why r we going 2 fight"; "War is disease peace is the cure"; "We are all terrorists"; "War is not the way"; "There is no oil in Korea" on an American flag; and of course "Books Not Bombs"; and "No War".

After hearing several speakers the students marched to Parliament House in Spring Street.

In other cities around the country students turned out to protest. This included more than 10,000 in Sydney, 7,000 in Adelaide, 1,000 in Canberra and hundreds more in Brisbane, Hobart, Darwin and other regional centres.