Glasgow: action against glorification of WW1

Received by email today. There’s a news report on the action here:

Dear friends and comrades, Please circulate throughout your networks.

To sign on email: whitefeatherclubglasgow [at] gmail.com

We the undersigned proudly add our names in support of the four female anti-war activists arrested after almost 12 hours atop Glasgow’s iconic Finniestoun Crane.

These activists audaciously occupied the Finnieston Crane and unfurled banners reading ‘Resist Militarism’ and ‘#WhiteFeather’ in dissent of the glorification of war and increasingly US style culture of militarism by events like today’s Armed Forces Day and reclaim the white feather, once used as a symbol of cowardice, to celebrate those who bravely refuse to participate in war.

Armed Forces Day, in its 6th year, will bring to Stirling today a display of chauvinistic militarism normally associated with the fascist regimes of the 1930’s, Soviet era Russia or the brutal dictatorship in North Korea. Flyovers by military aircraft, simulated combat missions, tanks and other military vehicles and marching bands amid a flurry of flag-waving. All billed as a family day out.

All this comes in the lead up to the UK government funded celebrations of the start of WW1 with Glasgow chosen as host city of. £55,000,000 will be spent during a time of austerity to attempt to derive nationalistic pride and glory from one of the most senseless human catastrophes in history. The ‘War to end Wars’ was a lie then and 100 years later a new generation is being told that lie to indoctrinate them with militarism and with a heartless irony, sell them a myth to ensure support for current and future wars.

It’s time to speak out and these brave activists have done so in the proud tradition of Glaswegians Mary Barbour, John MacLean and the many, many war resistors and conscientious objectors from Glasgow and far beyond.

They now lie in police station prison cells and we send them our love, support and solidarity and our warmest thanks for daring to dissent, to speak and act for us all without fear.

We demand their welfare and well being be looked after and call for their immediate release from police custody, without harassment and without charge.

#WhiteFeatherPride