Mass opposition to demonstration since Belgium pluralist came into being.'
However, its meaning is a little ambiguous as the leader of the Francophone
Euromissiles Philomena O'MALLEY The last week of October saw over three million Europeans take to the streets in opposition to the ever-increasing military build up and warmongering stance of the imperialists - focused on the plans to install American medium-range missiles in
The most massive demonstrations took place in those countries where the misand Britain installation is planned to start at the end of this year. Italy is due to receive its Cruise missiles in Spring 1984, and Belgium and the Netherlands 1985 and 1986 respectively.
West Germany: The October 22 demonstrations, assembling one million people throughout the country, were the high point of a 'hot autumn' of antimissiles activity.
In Bonn some 400,000 demonstrators marched through the streets, then formed a human star chain to link the embassies of all the nuclear powers. They then assembled in the Hofgarten Park for a rally at which one of the main speakers was Willy Brandt, chairperson of missiles had dropped slightly since the beginning of the year, the demonstration was as large, if not larger, than any previous demonstration.
However, CND, the most organised and centralised of the anti-missiles movements in Europe, is now subject to some political strain as the majority of the are centring more on the nuclear freeze slogan than the traditional of CND. The activists remain committed to this position, also reaffirmed by the Labour Party at their recent congress, and the women of the Greenham Common peace camp are still in the forefront of consistent activity by the movement. A major blockade of the Greenham base is planned for
Over 600,000 people demonstrated in Rome on October 22 from the peace committees, trade unions, Communist Party, far left groups, women's movement, etc. in the largest demonstration in the country for ten
The Socialist Party alone among the left and progressive forces was
Despite the efforts of the Communist Party to keep the demonstration within the official slogan, 'No to missiles wher-
Socialist Party, Guy Spitaels, announced just a few days before the demonstration that he did not intend to put into question the NATO twin-track decision, to install the missiles unless there was agreement at the Geneva negotiations on arms
Netherlands: The 500,000 Dutch to protest against the installation of their 48 Cruise missiles massed at the Hague one week later on October 29.
The protests against the American imtook on an extra pointedness here in the wake of the invasion of Grenada. Banners showed pictures of Reagan entitled Wanted: The bandit of Grenada', or 'Grenada now,
Woensdrecht is the air base where the missiles will be installed if the Dutch government finally agrees next spring.
Among the demonstrators strong proportion of women and young people, as well as some hundred members of the armed services in uniform. Unexpected support came from the younger sister of the Queen of the Neth-
Princess Irene, who made a strongly anti-nuclear weapons speech.
Over the same period of time, demonstrations have taken place not only in almost every other European country, in the Spanish state for example demanding withdrawal from NATO, and the dismantling of US bases, or Austria in opposition to nuclear weapons in general, but also in many places in the United States, Canada, and elsewhere throughout
The present involvement of the or- ever they come from, a good part of the the world workers movement in the antimissiles campaign is one of the main factors in these massive mobilisations, although this support was rather late in
However, the majority of the SPD federations are now opposed to the and on October 5 the main trade-union federation the DGB, called a 5-minute work stoppage in support of the installation of the
The Bundestag will take its final debate and decision on the installation of the missiles on November 21, and once again probably pronounce itself for the missiles, despite the mass opposition that the West German people have shown.
300,000 people demonstrated in London at the call of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND), backed by the Labour Party and the Trades Union Congress (TUC).
Although an opinion poll published on the morning of the demonstration, October 22, claimed that opposition to Cruise demonstration took up slogans specifically aimed against American imperialism
The demonstration was not only one of the biggest in size but also in variety. The Paris daily Liberation reported that the demonstration had 'brought together the Anti-Vivisection League as well as the homosexual front. Even the prostitutes committee from Pordenone was there with a banner saying, Better to be mercenary in love than a mercenary in
And along with these groups were monks, nuns and other Christian organisations singing and praying — in a demonstration primarily mobilised by the Com-
Belgium: 400,000 people swarmed into Brussels on October 23 to protest against the plans to site 48 Cruise
All the political parties were there except the rightwing Liberals who are presently in government with the Christian Democrats, who themselves left the
The huge size and broad and varied composition of demonstrations show once again how the threat of war, the fear of a nuclear holocaust, are real feelings that can mobilise literally millions of people in political activity for the first time in their lives.
These demonstrations marked a certain crescendo in the activity ment, focused on the start date for the installation of the missiles in Europe. Now, the movement has to grapple with the immediate questions of whether to take direct action or not to physically prevent work, whether to use violence or not, and, beyond that, what strategic goals to aim for as the missiles have not been 'stopped in 1983', and the other complex political problems posed, in the fight against the imperialist war-drive. In this context its capacity to not only mobilise but politicise upon thousands of new activists, and win them to an anti-capitalist and anti-imperialist perspective could be realised.
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