Scoop Images: Antiwar Coalition Brave the Rain

300 people attended today's anti-war march and rally in Auckland despite a steady downpour of rain.

The speakers on offer have broadened out further from former marches and included representatives from university, womens and Pakistani groups, along with the usual good sorts (Maire Leadbeater (Justice for Asylum Seekers), Keith Locke (Green MP), Gul Zaman (Muslim Community), and Mark Muller (NDU).

Phil Goff declined an invitation to speak but President George Bush Jnr (sounding remarkably like SWO's Kane Forbes putting on a Southern accent) wasn't afraid to make a surprise guest appearance, reading out the crowd a letter of apology to the people of the world for US foreign and economic policy. The crowd said it was too little too late.

Roger Fowler played an old peace movement song updated to the war against Afghanistan, and the protesters, banners, raincoats and golf umbrellas made their way up Queen Street, "No War in Christ's Name" and "Union Workers Against War", placards marching together.

A music in the park event had to be postponed due to the risk of electrocuting performers in the rain but a suggestion has been made to make it into an anti-war, pro-peace "Christmas in the Park" style affair later on in the year as a welcome alternative to the sanitised Santas in Coca Cola sleighs or TV3 stars singing jingle bell rock to which we have become accustomed.

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