LOC20:24
17:24 GMT
LONDON, Nov 20 (KUNA) -- Thousands of protesters took to the streets to
march against the war in Afghanistan Saturday as Nato leaders discussed
bringing an end to the nine-year conflict. Demonstrators were led by military
families as they carried anti-war placards and banners against cuts to
government spending.
As the march moved from Hyde Park, central London, protesters chanted:
"When they say warfare, we say welfare".
The demonstration took place as the Prime Minister attended a Nato summit
in Lisbon, where an agreement was reached which will see Afghan forces take
over full responsibility for the country's security in 2014.
The coalition government has stated that Britain's combat role in
Afghanistan will end by 2015.
Guardsman Christopher Davies, who was killed on Wednesday in Helmand, was
the 100th British member of the armed forces to die this year after being
deployed to Afghanistan.
Many of the protesters said the Government's commitment to end Britain's
combat role over the next four years was not soon enough.
Clara Torres, 62, told reporters: "That's far too long for them to be
there. They shouldn't be there in the first place."
Torres, a retired nurse from Richmond, Surrey, outside Lndon, who marched
with her daughter and baby granddaughter, said: "We don't own them,
Afghanistan is nothing to do with us.
"We should leave now."
At Trafalgar Square the rally was addressed by a series of speakers.
Seamus Milne, a commentator for the Guardian newspaper, said: "In Lisbon
today the Nato leaders will try to make it appear that they are bringing an
end to this war, a war that is now in its 10th year.
"This talk of an exit strategy is clearly a sham."
John Hilary, the executive director of War on Want said: "We have a message
for (Prime Minister) David Cameron and his Liberal Democrat allies.
"Do not dare to tell us that there is no money for public services and
public sector workers.
"We want the 11 billion pounds that is being spent on the war in
Afghanistan to go on things we need in this country. "Bring home the troops
and bring justice to the people of Afghanistan."
Organisers said 10,000 people attended the demonstration and that there
were no reports of trouble.
A spokesman for the Metropolitan Police said there had been no arrests but
would not make an estimate of the crowd's size. (pickup previous)
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