ANTI-WAR activists could spring a surprise in Kendal this weekend as part of a worldwide day of demonstrations against any military action against Iraq, writes Ellis Butcher.

Some form of peaceful, but disruptive direct action has been suggested by a "militant element" believed to belong to the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND).

The extent of the protest and whether it will go ahead is not known and CND could not be contacted before the Citizen went to press.

The suggestion emerged at a meeting attended by around 80 people to form a Kendal branch of the Stop The War Coalition.

The coalition has not supported the suggested action and intends to go ahead with its own planned and publicised events of a human chain, silent vigil and letter campaign.

A source, who asked not to be named, said that it had been suggested that people lie down in the road at Kendal.

The group was formed to unite many different organisations under the same banner, including the United Nations Association of South Lakeland, CND, Friends of the Earth and The Religious Society of Friends.

Speaking after the meeting, chairman of the proceedings, John Coopey, said that in addition to the STWC's planned event, some activists wanted to take the protest further.

Mr Coopey said: "There was a fair amount of support for what we are doing on Saturday but there was also significantly more militant action wanted.

"This would some either involve going to London or Glasgow, or to do something more adventurousand that is putting it mildly."

Mr Coopey said he had no details of what was being planned - he understood it was being kept secret.

The coalition expects to form a human chain in Finkle Street as a show of "unity and strength", along with a continuation of its silent vigil.

Anti-war postcards will also be distributed with the public being told to send them to specific Government ministers in the hope they could influence the Prime Minister, Tony Blair.

Mr Coopey said regardless of the town's distance from the decision-makers in Westminster, the strength of feeling against war was sufficient to make a stand.

"We are getting 500 postcards printed and we are going to send those to the non-key ministers," said Mr Coopey. "We believe there is no point in running to the leadership anymore, we have tried that.

"The human chain will be to show solidarity people holding hands rather than fighting each other."

February 12, 2003 08:30