1. Jail for Muslim youth after last years Gaza demo
2. Protesters forced Israeli diplomat to cancel meeting
3. Gaza protests outside the BBC - 19th March, 5.30pm - 7pm
4. 'Surge' brings more killing and death in Afghanistan
5. Protest against anti Muslim hatred - Bolton 20th march
6. General Election Hustings - 2pm. Sat 17th April
..................................
1. Jail for Muslim youth after last years Gaza demo - protest this injustice!

Young people who took part in the mass demonstrations against Israel's attack
on Gaza in January 2009 are being handed down jail sentences for minor
offences. 'Many of the accused are under 20 years old, and almost all are
Muslim', reports Manchester researcher Joanna Gilmore who has followed all the
cases.  'Protesters were standing up against Israel's assault on Gaza which
killed hundreds of people. Many were angered at the images of dead children and
destroyed homes.'  First-time (so called) offenders have got two and a half
years imprisonment for minor offences which would NOT normally face custodial
sentences.

Manchester is sending a delegation to the Public Meeting: Support the Gaza
protesters! Defend the right to protest! held in London on Tues 2nd March
6.30pm at the House of Commons.

If you have a message of support for those young people currently in prison, or
if you can go to the protest meeting, please contact GMSTWC Chair Nahella
Ashraf on 07988 572 976 or  email her at   This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Fuller reports on our websites      www.manchesterstopwar.org
www.stopwar.org.uk
..................................
2. Protest forced Israeli diplomat to cancel the University student meeting

Israel's deputy Ambassador canceled her planned visit hours before she was due
to speak to a group of students at the University of Manchester on Thursday.
Caught between a growing protest movement, and exposure of Israeli murder in
Dubai carried out with stolen British passports, she backed down! This attempt
by Israel's supporters to undermine the support for Palestine at the University
with its growing Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions Campaign has back fired. The
Executive of the Student Union now have plans to strengthen policy to ensure
that in future an Israeli Ambassador would not be allowed to be invited to
speak on Student Union premises.

Israel has tramples on democracy in Gaza, but they could do the same at the
University of Manchester Student Union!

Reports and video on our website  www.manchesterstopwar.org
..................................
3. Gaza protests outside the BBC - 19th March 5.30pm - 7pm
Protest vigil outside the BBC on Oxford Rd. (the nearest thing to an Israeli
Embassy in Manchester!)

Hear reports of what has happened over the youth arrests after the Gaza demo
and to soldier L/cp Joe Glenton who faces a Court Marshall on March 5th for
refusing to re deploy to Afghanistan.

A further protest vigil has been arranged outside the BBC on May 14th, 'Nakkba'
Day when the State of Israel was built upon the forcible expulsion of
Palestinian people.
..................................
4. 'Surge' brings more killing and death in Afghanistan

As US and British troops join the attack on the town of Marjah in Afghanistan's
Helmand Province, reports continue of 'civilian casualties', although now NATO
leaders 'apologise' for killing women and children. US Army planers expected a
surge in casualties would be the outcome. More British soldiers have also been
killed.

Polls show almost three quarters of the people believe the 'war in Afghanistan
cannot be won' and 'our troops should be brought back by the end of this year'
according to the latest Newsnight poll.

"There can be no 'solution' relying on the corrupt Afghan government and the
Afghan brutal police. Neither can we expect the 'West' to deliver on their
promises to 're-build' Afghanistan. They have been there eight years already
and things are worst." explains GM STWC convener Mark Krantz.

After one tour of Afghanistan soldier L/cpr Joe Glenton said he was
'disillusioned' and that 'we were not helping'. He was absolutely right to
refuse to redeploy and to speak out and to march against the war. Charges that
could have led to a ten year sentence were dropped last month but Joe now faces
a Cort Marshal which could lead to 2 years in prison.

Gordon Brown is in front of the Chilcott Inquiry on 5th March. He signed all
the cheques for the 'bloody' Iraq war when he was Chancellor. Any claim he
makes that he had to do so because 'of his responsibilities following the
collective decision made by the Cabinet' will not wash the blood from his
hands. Brown could have stopped the Iraq war that killed over 1 million people
in Iraq.
..................................
5. Protest against anti Muslim hatred - Bolton 20th march

Racism against our Muslim brothers and sisters has increased since Britain went
to war.

These wars have helped fuel the growth of the BNP, and now the The English
Defence League (EDL) — a group of racist thugs and football hooligans with
links to the Nazi BNP — who intend to march in Bolton on 20th March to whip
up race hatred against Muslims. These thugs spread fear and terror when they
rampaged through Luton and Stoke recently. They smashed cars, attacked shops
and assaulted Asians. When some locals tried to stop them they were called
‘race traitors’ and attacked.

Stop the War has agreed to support the mobilisation to Bolton organised by
Unite Against Fascism (UAF) to stop the EDL.

For full details and coaches visit the UAF websites
www.manchesteruaf.org www.uaf.org.uk
....................
6. General Election Hustings - 2pm Sat 17th April

Stop the War and CND have organised hustings for Manchester's Prospective
Parliamentary Candidates to answer questions over their policies on
Afghanistan, Trident, Gaza, Islamophobia and Civil Liberties.

The core aims of Stop the War Coalition are: To build a united response
demanding an end to the war in Afghanistan : To defend our civil liberties : To
oppose anti Muslim racism.  All parts of our Coalition are valued and important
- including those who agree with only some of our demands. As a Coalition
operating in the General Election we will not endorse any candidates, nor will
we recommend any votes.

We will ask our supporters to ask all candidates where they stand on these
questions.

1. Do you agree that we should bring British soldiers back from Afghanistan
now?
2. Are you opposed to the Trident replacement?
3. Will you call for an immediate end to the siege of Gaza?
4. How will you help stop the tide of anti Muslim hatred?
5. How will you strengthen our right to protest?

Please let us know where candidates in your constituency stand on these
questions.

Whoever is successful in the elections we will continue to unite with people
from all parties and none, to build a movement to win peace in a world which
continues to be at war.
........................
Foe fuller peace events listings visit on our website  manchesterstopwar.org
Enewsletter compiled by Mark Krantz
07765 122 829