Whose Independence?

Press release: Peace Action Wellington

3 July, 2003



The United States Ambassador Charles Swindell had his 4th of July party

crashed by Peace Action Wellington (PAW) last night.



The party, held at Skyline restaurant in Kelburn, was picketed by fifty

protesters uniting under the banner ‘whose independence?’ and calling for

the expulsion of Swindell.



The group condemned the celebration of American independence as ‘bizarre

and grotesque, since the United States is denying the independence not

only of Iraq, but also of Afghanistan and a multitude of other nations

around the world’.



Invitees, including Wellington Mayor Kerry Prendergast and National Leader

Bill English, had to walk past a line of rowdy picketers who denounced

their presence at the event as ‘shameful’.



PAW member John Anderson said ‘While these elite few are stuffing their

faces with spit-roasted chicken and cocktails, people in Iraq are living

in terror of US raids on their houses and are fearful for relatives held

in illegal detention camps’.



Valerie Morse, another member of PAW, said that similar demonstrations in

Iraq have been met with lethal force by the occupying powers.

Home