Newsletter from Stop the War coalition, 8.6.26

Newsletter 08/05/26

International Anti-War Conference & Assembly

The threat of war and militarism is looming across Europe. As part of our response we are hosting a major international anti-war conference in just six weeks time. The timetable is now out, the list of speakers is growing and delegate numbers are rising fast. 

In addition to the main conference we will be holding a pre-conference assembly for activists, trade unionists and leaders of the anti-war movement from across Europe. 

This will take place on the morning of 20 June. The assembly will provide an opportunity for discussion and debate. It will take place at Central Hall Westminster in the Library & Lecture Hall, from 10am -11:30am. 

Conference tickets include access to the morning assembly.

The main conference is taking place in the afternoon in the iconic Grand Hall of Central Hall Westminster. We expect the Grand Hall will soon book up. To avoid disappointment we urge you to get your tickets as soon as possible. 

Doors open at midday for a 1pm start. 

We have already announced some amazing speakers and there’s more to follow, including cultural figures and trade union leaders and MPs from France, Spain, Germany and Italy. This is an event you do not want to miss!

Organising a conference on this scale is expensive. We urgently need to raise funds to help pay for venue hire, translation costs, speakers’ travel and expenses and publicity. Please help us raise funds to meet these costs by donating and sharing this link widely.

The list of supporters for the conference keeps growing. Check if your union or organisation is one of this number. If not, you know what to do.

On the streets on 16 May

Over the last week the Palestine movement has been under sustained attack from politicians, the police and the media. They want to ban our marches, and we have been accused by the Met police commissioner of deliberately marching near synagogues to instil fear among Jews and of stoking the antisemitism that led to abhorrent and violent attacks on Jewish people. 

These completely false accusations are aimed at silencing the largest and most effective political opposition to British foreign policy. The state clearly wants us to go away and stay off the streets. That will not happen.

Our response must be be to make the 16 May Nakba demonstration as big and as loud as possible.

The Palestine Coalition has issued a formal legal complaint demanding the Met commissioner retracts his defamatory accusations and apologises for issuing false and inflammatory statements. 

Make sure you join the Nakba march and do what you can to build it. Don’t forget to collect or order your leaflets, book your transport and if you are able to help StW on the day please get in touch.

On Thursday 14 May there will be a