Big Protests happening in Australia

The city of Newcastle is on the east coast around 160km north of Sydney. It has 
a population of around 145,000 people. 

A protest march and rally was held in Newcastle today, organised by the "No 
war" collective. Organisers had hoped for up to 5,000 (ten times the number of 
a rally held on November 3 last year).

Police estimates were 18.000 to 20.000 people. One of the largest rally's in 
the city's history. 

This follows 200,000 in the city of Melbourne yesterday, and a massive rally 
planned for the city of Sydney tomorrow.

As is being said everywhere, the size and growth of the peace movement here is 
extraordinary, all before the official attack on Iraq has even begun. 

Tom Griffiths.
newcastle, australia.
(from the geographical south / asia,  the economic core, and the growing 
anti-war movement)