Originally called by the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament prior to the war as a protest against the militarization of space, the action was renamed "Stop the War," but became much more than planned. Young people, many from the Asian subcontinent, mobilized for the action through colleges and mosques.

Dozens of Asian youth gathered next to the speaking platform, chanting "Down Down USA" and "Allah Akhbar," including during a minute of silence at the start of the rally, much to the annoyance of the organizers. They displayed banners including "Long Live Afghanistan," and "Now who are the terrorists?"

A young Iraqi woman, Shaek Sabah, explained to the Militant she was on the march because she is "against American foreign policy and double standards. They've been planning this for a long time. Their main target is the Middle East and Islam. It's about profit too." Her sister Rawnak added, "Imperialism is the one that starts all war, it is a cancer in the world."

Charlotte Monroe, a hospital worker from London, said imperialism was "attempting to divide whole sections of the world against each other and we're not prepared to be divided." --ANNE HOWIE