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moreland_peace_03feb22_001.jpg 32 KB Size: 480x546 Feb 22 2003 11:03:52 am Moreland Peace Group placard	moreland_peace_03feb22_002.jpg 48 KB Size: 640x447 Feb 22 2003 11:04:40 am Listening to speeches at Brunswick Town Hall	moreland_peace_03feb22_003.jpg 43 KB Size: 640x396 Feb 22 2003 11:05:43 am Listening to speeches at Brunswick Town Hall
moreland_peace_03feb22_004.jpg 50 KB Size: 640x452 Feb 22 2003 11:08:05 am Listening to speeches at Brunswick Town Hall	moreland_peace_03feb22_005.jpg 41 KB Size: 640x432 Feb 22 2003 11:29:32 am Moreland Peace Group on the March up Sydney Road	moreland_peace_03feb22_006.jpg 21 KB Size: 280x403 Feb 22 2003 11:29:45 am War is a Crime Against Humanity
moreland_peace_03feb22_007.jpg 49 KB Size: 641x415 Feb 22 2003 11:37:42 am Muslims for Peace Banner (Islamic Council of Victoria) at the Brunswik march on Sydney Road	moreland_peace_03feb22_008.jpg 50 KB Size: 753x472 Feb 22 2003 11:43:09 am Moreland Peace Group on the March up Sydney Road	moreland_peace_03feb22_009.jpg 47 KB Size: 640x488 Feb 22 2003 11:49:43 am Listening to speeches at Brunswick Market on Sydney Road

About 300 people gathered at the Brunswick Town Hall for a rally and march against the U.S. led war on Iraq. The rally and march was organised by the newly formed Moreland Peace Group.

Outside the Brunswick Town Hall the rally was addressed by a number of speakers including the local State member of parliament, Carlo Carli, from the Labor Party and Green Party and Fairwear activist Pamela Curr.

Brunswick, being an inner city suburb of Melbourne, has a large ethnic population containing many muslims, and still has a strong traditional working class culture. Moreland Council has adopted a strong antiwar stance since October 2002 in regards to the USA led invasion of Iraq.

At just before 11.30am the crowd started marching up Sydney Road, chanting as they went. The march contained a cross-section of Brunswick: mothers pushing strollers; people pushing shopping jeeps, children, old people, muslim men and women, local labor politicians, various socialists, anarchists and Greens.

Sydney Road is the principal thoroughfare and strip shopping centre through Brunswick and Coburg, and midday on Saturday is always very busy. A small contingent of police accompanied the march.

Outside the Brunswick Market the march stopped for a few minutes, before rallying again in a nearby car park, to hear more speakers.

The mood of the march and rallies was good natured with a feeling that a worthwhile statement had been made to other residents in Moreland.

Moreland City Council Against the war on Iraq

Moreland Council Anti-war Sign on the Brunswick Town Hall

• Mayor's statement against the war - 10 February 2003
• Peace call from Moreland City Council - Media Release 12 February 2003
• The council adopted an anti-war stance at its meeting on 14th October 2002 by resolving in regard to Iraq Military Action:
  

  1. That Moreland Council is opposed to Australian personnel being involved in any military action against the Government of Iraq and strongly believes that the settlement of any dispute with Iraq should be resolved by peaceful negotiations and means.

  2. To acknowledge that the present Iraqi Government has perpetrated appalling atrocities against its own people and stays in power by conducting a reign of terror against all opposition and its people. It is not Australia’s role to change that Government in the interests of securing US control of Iraqi oil and with the very real threat of all out war in the Middle East by US action.

  3. To write to the Hon John Howard, Prime Minister and the Hon Simon Crean, Opposition Leader expressing Council’s strong view.

  Minutes of the Council Meeting on Monday 14 October 2002