As leaders from NATO’s member countries headed for Cardiff, where they were to hold a NATO summit meeting, thousands of protestors prepared to show their opposition to the military operations of the alliance. Hundreds marched through Newport on the Saturday before the NATO meeting, many of whom went on to attend a Counter Summit organised by CND the following day at Cardiff County Hall. Some went on to join the peace camp at Tredegar Park, which has been running during the week leading up to the Summit.
The police thanked demonstrators for making sure the protest was peaceful, with Gwent Police Ch Supt Alun Thomas commenting that the march “passed without incident”. The protests probably caused less impact on the Cardiff/Newport area than the summit, which led to traffic disruption as a security cordon was set up around the summit venue in Cardiff castle.
The protest was supported by the Labour Group on Newport City Council, whose members issued an open letter calling for “political, not military, solutions” to the conflict in Gaza and called on leaders to work for world peace. On the other hand, NATO appears to be going in the opposite direction. Wales Green Party leader Pippa Bartolotti, who had helped organise the No Nato Newport protests, explained: “The Nato that so many people remember as a force for defence has turned into a force for aggression without anyone really being aware that this subtle change has happened over the last ten to 15 years.”
She added, “We’re out on the streets of Newport because it is no longer possible to tolerate the reckless decision making of NATO. These heads of state have been responsible for countless civilian deaths in Afghanistan, they have torn Libya and Iraq to shreds and are poised to plunge us deeper into this grisly mire of warmongering in Ukraine.
“Money into war is money out of communities. 500,000 people had to resort to foodbanks last year. Inequality grows with each passing moment. War is the enemy of the poor. It is the biggest polluter and a vile instrument of moneymaking.”
Green Party national leader Natalie Bennett also spoke out against the NATO summit, saying, “Given the unstable situation in many parts of the world, but particularly the situation in Ukraine, and in the year in which we mark the centenary of the start of the First World War, now is a good time to reflect on the profound failure of our existing foreign policies to deliver peace and stability in the world. NATO was established for mutual defence during the Cold War and should have been disbanded when it ended. As a nuclear-armed alliance with more than 5,000 weapons, it significantly contributes to threats to the world’s safety. “
Green Party International Spokesperson, Tony Clarke sketched out the Greens’ alternative approach when he said, “Those meeting at Newport should avoid taking sides or grandstanding for their own self-interest and concentrate instead on how all governments can support self-determination by the people who always suffer most from any war, the civilian populations.”
•The Labour Party has not issued a press comment on the NATO summit or the “No NATO” protests.