PeaceMatters 81 - March 2020 - final version.qxp_Layout 1 11/03/2020 18:24 Page 1

Number 81 March 2020 ISSN 1350-3006 matters MAGAZINE OF THE PEACE PLEDGE UNION

Winning campaigns in your community

In this issue:

Militarism in your local area: learning from successful activism

Many snowflakes make an avalanche

You, me and the in Yemen PeaceMatters 81 - March 2020 - final version.qxp_Layout 1 11/03/2020 18:24 Page 2

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Sign the Peace Pledge “War is a crime against and build a culture humanity. I renounce of war, and am therefore determined not to support any kind of Join online at www.ppu.org.uk or fill war. I am also in the form below. determined to work for I/we would like to sign the peace pledge (see wording oppo - the removal of all site) and join the Peace Pledge Union. causes of war.” Name ______ISSN 1350 – 3006 Address ______Peace Pledge Union Peaceworks ______1 Peace Passage, London N7 0BT Email address ______Phone: 020 7424 9444 Email [email protected] Annual subscription: £24, or £12 if you are on a low income, Website: www.ppu.org.uk or £36 for two at the same address. Or you can subscribe to Peace Matters is published by the Peace Peace Matters without joining the PPU for £6. Pledge Union. Material published in Either: I/we enclose a cheque for £____ Peace Matters does not necessarily reflect PPU policy. Or: debit my/our card for £____

Card type ______Editor: Symon Hill Proof-reading: Saffron Gallup Card number ______Typeset and design: PPU Printing: Lithosphere Expiry date ______Security number _ _ _

Front page photo: PPU members and To The Manager: Bank supporters in Hackney in 2018. Address The Peace Pledge Union is the oldest secular pacifist organisation in Britain. Your account number Please pay on / /2019 and on the same day each Through War Resisters’ International it MONTH / YEAR (delete as appropriate) is linked with similar groups around the To: Unity Trust Bank, 4 Brindley Place, world. Birmingham B1 2HB 60-83-01 Peace Pledge Union Main Account no 20386940 the sum of £ ______amount in For information, please visit words______www.ppu.org.uk Signature ______Date ______or call 020 7424 9444. PeaceMatters 81 - March 2020 - final version.qxp_Layout 1 11/03/2020 18:24 Page 3

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Making change happen Symon Hill, Editor In 2018, Leicester be - that they were a result of day militarism in their came the first British city to people campaigning nonvi - own communities. There ban the armed forces from olently against militarism in will be a series of training inviting children to handle their own local area. These events and new re - weapons at their street campaigns involved people sources both online and stalls. of many ages and back - in print. We owe many In the same year, Glas - grounds who share a pas - thanks to the Joseph gow City Council agreed sion for peace. Rowntree Charitable never to host an arms fair Of course, more exam - Trust for funding this ini - in their city again. The next ples could be added - and tiative. year, LGBT Pride marches many more will be in the There’s more informa - in York and Bristol rejected next few years. tion on pages 8-9, along military and arms company Grassroots activism can with a first-hand account sponsorship following be effective. This doesn’t of the successful cam - protests the previous year. mean we should charge in paign in Leicester. You Several schools in unprepared and hope for can read recent news on signed up to provide peace the best. Activism needs pages 4-7, and you can education as part of the focus, planning and co-op - find more examples of curriculum. A few weeks eration. That’s why the grassroots peace ac - ago, students in Cam - Peace Pledge Union is de - tivism on pages 10-13. bridge voted against lighted to introduce a new The final few pages in - military recruitment at project this year, support - clude a look at an impor - freshers’ fairs. ing people to learn from tant peace charity and a What all these develop - each other and to build reivew of the film ments have in common is campaigns against every - A Hidden Life .

Welcome Saffron!

The Peace Pledge Union’s staff team increased from three to four in January, with Saffron Gallup (right) joining us as Education Services Manager. “Seeing how active and engaged young people have recently been in political issues gives me hope as an educator,” said Saffron. “I look forward to building on the excellent educational work developed by the PPU.” Saffron worked in the NHS as a Speech & Language Therapist for 17 years, providing support to a number of schools, families and educational staff. She still has the peace badge she wore as a child in the 1980s. PeaceMatters 81 - March 2020 - final version.qxp_Layout 1 11/03/2020 18:24 Page 4

Peace Matters 4 PM tries to put troops above the law Pacifists have promised The announcement came the right to join a union relentless resistance to barely a month after the and to leave their job when Boris Johnson’s militarist Sunday Times revealed they choose. policies after he threat- widespread evidence of The Queen's Speech also ened to increase military the murder of civilians by promised high levels of spending and water down UK armed forces in Iraq military spending. This is human rights laws in rela- and Afghanistan (pictured frequently demanded of tion to armed forces. below). NATO members by US The plans were set out in In reality, armed forces President Donald Trump. the Queen’s Speech – the personnel in the UK are Several ministers made government’s legislative almost never prosecuted, clear their support for programme – on 19 let alone convicted, of Trump after tensions with December. The Peace war-related crimes. Iran reached boiling point Pledge Union is working Johnson pledged to in January. While the im - alongside other peace amend human rights legis - mediate threat of war with and human rights groups lation so that it will not Iran seems to have re - to challenge them. apply to troops on active ceded, at least for now, The speech promised service. But critics say that there is likely to be strong legislation to end so-called the concept of human resistance if the UK gov - “vexatious claims” against rights becomes meaning - ernment tries to join in a armed forces personnel. less if it does not apply to war on Trump’s side. The The PPU described the all people at all times. PPU is in discussions with phrase as a dog-whistle The PPU pointed out that Iranian peace activists term for the militarist armed forces leaders are about building solidarity lobby, who use it to refer allowed to abuse the against the militarist poli - to almost any prosecution human rights of their own cies of the US, British and for war-related crimes. personnel, who are denied Iranian governments. PPU members are also calling on candidates for the Labour leadership and deputy leadership to clarify their policies on war. Dis - appointly, several candi - dates say they would press the “nuclear button”, although several say they want to reduce British in - volvement in military ac - tion. The PPU urged them to have the courage to rule out war altogether. PeaceMatters 81 - March 2020 - final version.qxp_Layout 1 11/03/2020 18:24 Page 5

Peace Matters 5 Death-dealers’ dodgy dinner disrupted Sports presenter Clare Balding has been praised for pulling out of speaking at a swanky dinner for arms dealers. Balding made the deci - sion after the Campaign Against Arms Trade (CAAT) drew her attention to the arms trade’s role in fuelling war in Yemen. Several arms dealers who travelled to Mayfair to attend the dinner on 22 January turned back when they saw vocal, nonviolent behind-the-scenes influ - supporters of CAAT and protesters outside the ence. other groups, with Peace Grosvenor House Hotel. The dinner is held annu - Pledge Union members Also attending the ally by Aerospace, De - well represented. £470-per-head event were fence & Security (ADS), Two PPU members, politicians and senior the euphemistically named Henrietta Cullinan and Al - armed forces officers, giv - trade body for the arms in - ison Parker, blocked one ing the arms dealers dustry. Among the resist - of the entrances by glu - chance to exercise ing the event were ing themselves together while draped with a ban - Cambridge students say no to armed forces ner reading “Stop Arming Saudi”. The protest came four The Cambridge University Students’ Union has months after an esti - voted by 55% against allowing military recruitment mated 2,000 people, in - at freshers’ fairs. The decision was applauded by cluding members of the the Peace Pledge Union. PPU and a wide range of The vote is a blow to the Officer Training Corps, other groups, took part in whose recruitment of Cambridge students allows protests against the DSEI them to promote pro-military attitudes among people arms fair in east London. who may go on to careers in business and politics. Over 100 people were ar - If you are campaigning about militarism at univer - rested there in Septem - sity (or want to), the PPU would love to hear from ber after taking part in you. Email [email protected] or call 020 7424 9444. nonviolent . PeaceMatters 81 - March 2020 - final version.qxp_Layout 1 11/03/2020 18:24 Page 6

Peace Matters 6 -wearing veterans challenge minister over insults A group of armed should primarliy have a forces veterans are message of peace. In ad - awaiting a response from dition, 86% believe it Johnny Mercer MP after should include civilian he encouraged people to deaths and 83% agree “ignore” white poppy that it should cover people wearers. of all nationalities. These Mercer (pictured right), are all key messages of who was made “Minister white poppies. for Defence People and “It is now clear that the Veterans” last year, didn’t British public want a more let his ministerial position inclusive Remembrance white poppies only because prevent him from launch - that carries a message of of the hard work of volun - ing his annual attack on peace,” said the PPU’s teers, both in the PPU and white poppy wearers in Geoff Tibbs. “Most people around the UK and beyond. November. Twelve white now reject the nationalist We sold around 86,000 poppy-wearing veterans narrative that focuses white poppies in 2019, a of the army, navy and air overwhelmingly on the drop that reflects the lower force wrote to him to de - British military.” level of media coverage mand an apology. Belatedly sensing a shift caused by the general elec - Indepdent polling pub - in the public mood, the tion. But while there was a lished in October sug - - pro - fall in the number of small gested that most people ducers of red poppies - orders, there was a big don’t share Mercer’s said for the first time that increase in the number of gung-ho approach. The that they “acknowledge” shops and cafes selling poll found that 85% of UK civilian deaths. white poppies. adults agree that As usual, we were able White poppy wreaths were Remembrance Sunday to distribute thousands of laid at alternative cere - monies around the UK. At the national Alternative Re - membrance Sunday Cere - mony in London, members of London Students for Yemen read out a first-hand testimony of the effects of aerial bombardment. It was a powerful reminder of why remembering the suffering of war cannot be separated from working against war today. PeaceMatters 81 - March 2020 - final version.qxp_Layout 1 11/03/2020 18:24 Page 7

Peace Matters 7 Mixed messages for VE Day anniversary

Government plans to 6.55pm, we are encour - 75 years ago, the PPU celebrate the 75th anniver - aged to join in a world - rejoiced at an end to war sary of VE Day have come wide “cry for peace”, in Europe and the fall of unstuck after criticisms of followed by church bells military dictatorships in the message, the timing - ringing out for peace at 7. and Italy, while and what they are asking The Peace Pledge insisting that “true victory us to celebrate. Union welcomed plans for comes not by force of VE (“Victory in Europe”) a commitment to peace, Day took place on 8 May but said politicians who arms”. 1945, the day after Ger - join in could be taken seri - many’s surrender. Thou - ously only if they pursue (Below) The Peace Pledge sands more people died peace-building policies. Union’s response before the Second World At the time of VE Day to VE Day in 1945. War was over. The official plans for the anniversary involve “cele - brations” over the week - end of 8-10 May 2020. The Peace Pledge Union will also mark the 75th anniversay of VE Day, but said that it was a more appropriate day for mourning and learning from the past than cele - brating. They warned that the day should not be used to promote mili - tarism. Unsurprisingly, many are unhappy that the May Day bank holiday, associ - ated with working class solidarity, has been scrapped to make way for the VE Day holiday on Friday 8 May. At 3pm on 8 May, the government wants us all to drink a toast to “the heroes of World War Two”. At PeaceMatters 81 - March 2020 - final version.qxp_Layout 1 11/03/2020 18:24 Page 8

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Learning from Leicester: Winning a local campaign Members of In Leicester our focus on that stone we pledge to hon - Leicester for Peace military recruitment came our those people by working have taken action out of a World War One actively for peace now. against militarism - project that we did at Out of that pledge came and won! Leicester CND, thanks to a “The 2017 Leicester Charter Penny Walker, one Heritage Lottery Grant. We on the reduction of the mili - of Leicester’s most researched those who had tarisation of young people”. active peace cam - refused to fight in our area This included specific ways paigners, tells us and the issues they faced. in which this could happen. how they achieved a We wrote a book, We were appalled to see significant policy Uncovering Resistance . We how often the armed forces change in their city. produced an educational arrived in the city centre with resource and we held sev - tanks and guns and how eral events. young children were invited We worked with the to handle these “exciting” drama department at a sixth weapons. form college to explore To stop this we needed to signing up in 1915 and know when they were com - signing up in 2015. At the ing so we could be prepared. end of the project we We sent Freedom of Infor - erected a stone to those mation Requests to the army who refused to fight and on who refused to say when Conscientious Objectors’ they would be there on the Day (15 May) each year at grounds of security and we

Right: Campaigning on the streets of Leicester. Penny is third from right.

Above right: Before the change - soldiers show - ing weapons to children in Leicester, 2017.

Photo credits: Ambrose Musiyiwa/ Civic Leicester PeaceMatters 81 - March 2020 - final version.qxp_Layout 1 11/03/2020 18:24 Page 9

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sent them to Leicester handling guns. Do you want to run a City Council, who took the We met our elected campaign about an bookings, who told us. mayor, Peter Souslby. He aspect of militarism in We were then able to was supportive, agreeing your own area? organise a presence. that the armed forces Many peace people came should not invite anyone During 2020, the Peace along including Quakers under 16 to handle Pledge Union will and at our first demon - weapons. produce resources and stration we were joined by A few months later, the run training events to Veterans for Peace who practice stopped. help people to learn from chatted to the public On Armed Forces Day each other’s experiences about the reality of military in 2019 no guns were on and build campaigns in life and war. Subsequently view and the few at the their own communities. we held silent vigils stand - back of one gazebo were ing in a long line opposite closely guarded so no chil - Resources and details the army with placards, dren could touch them. will appear on the PPU and cards promoting the But we have to con - website throughout the “Before You Sign Up” tinue to be vigilant. In the year. website. spring, when young people Photographs were taken are deciding what to do But you don’t have to and letters written to the when they leave school, wait! You can reach us at local press. A petition was the armed forces will be [email protected] or on raised about children back. So will we. 020 7424 9444. PeaceMatters 81 - March 2020 - final version.qxp_Layout 1 11/03/2020 18:24 Page 10

Peace Matters 10 Many snowflakes make an avalanche Tomos Williams- I feel privileged to be able rights, in this case , Mason is working to stand up for my beliefs, from a relatable and not too with other young considering so many people conceptual standpoint then people to develop were castigated around 100 people will start to think for PPU youth actions. years ago for it. But it is now themselves and one day Here he tells us how, 2020 and I am not only wear the white poppy with and why, he became wearing my badge of paci- us. a pacifist and joined fism with pride, but writing an This goal of changing the Peace Pledge article about it, almost like mindsets meant I delivered, Union. some sort of modern, non- for the first time ever in the religious evangelist whose school’s history, a speech belief in peace is his Bible. on pacifism and the white Many may consider me one poppy in Ysgol Maesydder - of these moaning wen’s Remembrance “snowflakes”, but with Service of 2019. It started enough snowflakes there with making a white poppy can be an avalanche. wreath. With a growing feel - My name is Tomos and I ing of moral need to am just finishing my A Levels promote the work of the amidst working for an ethical PPU but also the message Tomos Williams- cosmetics company. that peace is the only fair Mason, 18, is an Although I’ve only been an and virtuous answer to con - A Level student and official PPU member for flict, I stood up with PPU member from about five months, my work confidence. I’m so pleased I the Ystradgynlais around pacifism and the right inspired people to question area near Swansea. to be a pacifist have long things! been at the forefront of many My avid activity on Twitter, a debate. I think this passion the battleground (excuse for debate has been some- the war pun) of us thing I’ve naturally, and “snowflakes”, has become subconsciously, worked on. part of my everyday life as I Although originally I thought see it as a place to publicly being in a small community share my burning passions in South Wales would mean for human rights, in paci - an unwritten embargo on fism and related human progressive mindsets and rights issues such as philosophy, I have noticed LGBTQI+ rights, and it is that if one comes at the aim this platform that mainly in - of promoting human pledge spired me to sign the peace PeaceMatters 81 - March 2020 - final version.qxp_Layout 1 11/03/2020 18:24 Page 11

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pledge and thus officially community. Perhaps too become a memb er of the this explains my support PPU. Many peop le mock it, for human rights, as in and yes the land Do you want to join in scape of my eyes a moral duty, not Twitter can be ne PPU youth actions? gative just of my own affiliated sometimes, but i t also is in- communities. strumental in ad Or join in campaigns to vocating More topically however, human rights. I t challenge the hink it is my pacifism leads me not one of the best w militarisation of youth? ays to just to dislike militarism serve the Peace Pledge (strongly might I add), but itself and “work t Then please drop o remove to have a growing con - all causes of wa us a line at r”. cern for the community of In further regar [email protected], d to the the UK, and the body of stem of my pacif 020 7424 9444 or ism, but the world as a whole, more generally t @PPUtoday he root of since over recent times, pacifism for peop le as a the blood-stained propa - whole, it is hard to really ganda of military groups place a reason w hy people has become ever more identify themselv es as present. pacifists. My sen timent is I look forward to many that pacifism, in the more years of promoting (Below) Newspapers such as conceptual sense, comes peace through the es - the Daily Star regularly from personal experience pousement of human portray anti-militarist young of the opposite. Although I rights. people as ‘snowflakes’ am lucky enough not to have come from a war zone, or experience really any first-hand violence, one could postulate that pacifism for me came from the experiences I felt that others had - through empathy. In turn came my desire to join the PPU. Conceivably, well without a doubt really, there is a link between my pacifism, my veganism and my exis- tence within the LGBTQI+ PeaceMatters 81 - March 2020 - final version.qxp_Layout 1 11/03/2020 18:24 Page 12

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Yemen: A responsibility to rebel

Adhiyan Jeevathol “The massacre of innocent population are in need of writes of the need to people is a serious matter. humanitarian assistance. act in the face of UK It is not a thing to be easily Millions are at risk of complicity in Saudi forgotten. It is our duty to famine and 12,000 civilians war crimes. cherish their memory.” have been killed in military Decent people would ac - operations – the latter is in cept this statement by part due to “widespread Adhiyan Jeevathol is a as uncon - and systematic” attacks on 3rd year Zoology troversial. Yet, it is surely a civilians by the coalition. student at University miserable truth that the op - All of this need not be. An College London and a posite is practised. Namely, ex-officer of the Royal member of London that we tend to remember Saudi Air Force stated that Students for Yemen. the victims of those we de - without British support, the spise while victims of our coalition would not be able crimes are ignored– to keep its crucial Typhoons Malayans from 1948-60, in the air. Consequently, the Kenyans in the 1950s, East war would end. Timorese in the 1970s and Similar comments have the Chagos Islanders to been repeated by others in - name a few. cluding CIA veteran Paul R. The most recent, and on - Pillar. going, example is in Yemen. Apart from verbiage, our Here the UK-armed Saudi government has done little coalition have helped in - and continued to aid the duce a humanitarian catas - coalition in its operations – trophe where 75% of the even sending British troops

(Right) Adhiyan Jeevathol with Shadia Robertson at the PPU’s Alternative Remembrance Sunday Ceremony in London, 2019.

(Above right) A vigil organised by London Students for Yemen. PeaceMatters 81 - March 2020 - final version.qxp_Layout 1 11/03/2020 18:24 Page 13

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to Yemen and training Saudi forces within the UK, including at Sandhurst and at RAF Valley in North Wales. Regarding the media, during the last two elec - tions, our complicity in the “worst humanitarian catas - trophe in the world” was scarcely bought up, let alone discussed. It is no surprise then that most Brits are, as with East Timor and the Chagos Is - landers, unaware of the blood on our hands. Upon learning this, it’s a vigil, talks and Want to take action normal to ask what’s one’s protests. Recently, at the around Yemen? own responsibility is in PPU’s Alternative Re - such affairs. Pacifist A.J. membrance Sunday Cer - You can contact London Muste hints at an answer: emony, we read out a Students for Yemen at “Human beings acquiesce survivor’s testimony of a @LS4Yemen or at too easily in evil condi - coalition airstrike in facebook.com/londonstu - tions; they rebel far too lit - Sana’a. Abdullelah’s ac - dentsforyemen. tle and too seldom”. Thus, count is harrowing and a responsible human, uncomfortable. Uncom - The Peace Pledge pacifist or not, must fortable because of how Union (PPU) is “rebel”. I feel this is true he ends his account, challenging the role of especially for the Brit who writing, “It made me UK armed forces in needn’t worry about such wonder how human lives training Saudi forces. severe punishment for are so cheap for those Contact [email protected] their dissent as a Russian people”. By those people or 020 7424 9444. or an Iranian might. he means the United Na - Hence, our responsibility tions. The Campaign Against is even greater. But the comment could Arms Trade (CAAT) is It is because of this re - potentially be turned to campaigning against sponsibility that I joined us. Its legitimacy will de - arms sales to forces London Students for pend on how you and I fighting in Yemen. Yemen last year. Since respond to these criminal Contact 020 7281 0297 then, we have organised a acts. or visit caat.org.uk. PeaceMatters 81 - March 2020 - final version.qxp_Layout 1 11/03/2020 18:24 Page 14

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Review: A Hidden Life

Stephen Canning A church bell rings in the ment that conveys the reviews the film Austrian countryside, the torment of the long night of A Hidden Life , year is 1939. the soul as well as the joy directed by Terence Inside the church an artist of epiphany. Some of this is Malick. paints pictures that com - explained further in fort, though one day he voiceover while other might be brave enough to moments are left to ponder. create a painting that This is a telling of a story makes the people face based on real events. A great truth. In this valley look at the inner motivations above the clouds Franz of Franz Jägerstätter and Fanny (Franziska) stylised for the screen. meet, marry and start a Occasional intrusions by family. Farming and village the score pass quickly and life continue unhindered, in the film avoids slipping into the bleak yet beautiful pretence. surroundings, until in true This drama plays out to Terrance Malick style the back drop of violence storm clouds gather both on the micro level of an narratively and visually. Austrian village in the hills Franz Jägerstätter, an and the macro level of the Austrian conscientious Second World War. objector, is conscripted to Despite this violence, joy is the German army but found in the fresh grass and makes a personal stand, the changing of the Stephen Canning is a refusing to swear seasons. As viewers we nurse and PPU member allegiance to Hitler. This catch glimpses of the inner living in South London. results in his imprison - architecture of Franz and ment, bringing shame and Fannie’s emotional and social alienation to the spiritual lives. family he leaves behind. This is a long film, a tough Despite the physical and film, a film that though psychological trauma that beautifully shot and well- Franz faces he finds acted will make you face comfort in memories of his great truth. wife and daughters. Terrence Malick is inter - Franz and Fanny, played ested in big questions and by August Diehl and deep existential issues. Valerie Pachner, are often What is a story if it remains seen in moments of quiet untold? What is a life if it re - or stillness. Understate - mains hidden? PeaceMatters 81 - March 2020 - final version.qxp_Layout 1 11/03/2020 18:24 Page 15

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Funding education for peace The PPU relies heavily For some years I had this is done through Gift on voluntary donations, helped in a small way with Aid. My commitment as a especially as our cam - the work of three (or was trustee is to attend three or paigning means we it four?) of Peace Pledge four meetings a year to cannot be a “charity” in Union’s education work- receive and consider appli - law. Thankfully, the law ers. Our small committee cations for funding, mostly deems our educational met in one of the “lower from the PPU. We have work to be charitable, ground floor” rooms at had requests, however, and it is partly funded House in from a handful of other by the Peace Research Endsleigh Street, London bodies and have some - & Education Trust (the PPU’s offices until times given small amounts (PRET). John Morris 1995). My contribution when the cause was close explains more. was mainly some school to our own. teaching experience in A glance at early minutes secondary education – of the Trust shows that we although I had later been were suggesting work that employed in the adminis- might be undertaken by tration of school examina- the PPU. More recently, tions and in adult educa- we have been responding tion. to requests from PPU Then, fairly soon after Council and staff mem - the establishment of the bers. Peace Research and For some time, I attended Education Trust (PRET) in meetings of the Peace John Morris is chair of 1997, I was invited, or Education Network. the Peace Research & perhaps, as I had just Nowadays, I only keep in Education Trust and a retired, I volunteered, to touch with it electronically. longstanding PPU join that august body. I It is so helpful to know activist. was thus helping to raise from those active for funds specifically for the peace in the classroom and what is going down well research work of the with pupils and teachers. PPU. Income Tax-paying More information about members and friends of PRET and its work may be the Union could choose to found in its publicity leaflet. allocate a proportion of If you feel that you would their donation to that work like to join the trustees, and the government please make your interest would return to us the known to me, c/o 1 Peace amount of tax paid on Passage, London, N7 0BT their donation. Nowadays, or at [email protected] PeaceMatters 81 - March 2020 - final version.qxp_Layout 1 11/03/2020 18:24 Page 16

Peace Matters 16 SO THEY SAY...

“There may be unlawful violence.” “Remembrance Sunday should primarily have a message of peace.” Police officer at the DSEI arms fair, justifying restrictions on the Statement backed by 85% of movements of peaceful protesters. people in an independent poll of British (7 September 2019) public opinion. (16 October 2019)

“I was... pulled off my bike, taken to “As veterans, we believe we have the side, stopped and searched, the right to choose what colour handcuffed and arrested for posses - poppy to wear.” sion of a marker pen and a tube of glue... I was held for eight hours.” Letter from white poppy-wearing veter - ans to Minister for Veterans Johnny PPU member Richard Barnard Mercer, who encouraged people to describes the reality of policing at the “ignore” white poppy wearers. DSEI arms fair. (6 September 2019) (10 November 2019)

“That gives the British army... the “It’s little wonder that these stocks right side of the environmental are racing ahead... It’s a good time argument, especially in the eyes of to be in bombs, bullets and bugs.” that next generation of recruits.” Unnamed “city defence analyst” quoted General Mark Carleton-Smith suggests in the media over global military that more young people would sign up tension. (10 January 2020) if the army were a bit greener. (13 September 2019) Contact the “The military trying to recruit us by Peace Pledge Union making themselves more environ - mentally friendly is disgusting... Without social justice and peace we www.ppu.org.uk cannot reach climate justice. We are strong, we are educated, we know @PPUtoday our rights and have our own morals! I will not let the military strip me of this.” facebook.com/ peacepledgeunion 17-year-old climate striker Anya Nanning Ramamurthy. (20 September 2019) 020 7424 9444