Stop the War / NUJ protest at BBC Manchester

As usual it was drizzly rain but that didn't keep away a noisy, exuberant and happy crowd shouting support, waving a range of exotic footwear and placards in support of Muntazar al-Zaidi.

An NUJ organiser from inside the BBC was present and spoke but news organisations were simply not interested , except a paper from Egypt and we had live interviews on air with al- Zaidi's employer Al-Baghdadi plus they got blasts of Arabic chanting.

Naturally Plod turned up and a smiling and experienced Mark explained what was happening and Plod duly took notes and feeling exposed, small in number and unwelcome shot off with a wheel trim missing.



Besides a few pale faces pressed to windows the BBC ignored the chanting masses. Their state of the art electronic news gathering teams remained firmly indoors.



There was a friendly , jovial family atmosphere and all ages joined in the fun and frolics....



Umm Saad , his sister protested in Baghdad outside the Green Zone with thousands "nothing is known about... his condition, but he did nothing wrong. On the contrary, he pleased everyone. Bush is an occupier and he is the source of all the orphans and all the widows in Iraq.

"Everybody would have done what Muntazer did. We gave him the last kiss of democracy," she said of her brother shouting at Bush: "It is the farewell kiss, you dog."

A refrain taken up endlessly by the jolly crowd.

Now having done their best to destroy the cradle of civilisation another 20,000 US troops (and no doubt as many NATO) are on their way to Afghanistan.

Lots more and better pics at Greater Manchester Stop the War by Penny Krantz