School student walk outs - IRish times

national | miscellaneous | news report Wednesday March 05, 2003 15:15 by Day X

School student walk outs - north & south!!!!!

Pupils stage protests against planned war in Iraq
By David Roe Last updated: 05-03-03, 13:10

Thousand of second level students, both north and south of the border are taking part in a Europe-wide day of action against the looming war in Iraq.

Protests will take place in many schools across the country which will take the form of lunch-time protests, public debate and, in some cases, school walk-outs.

"We are organising this action to show solidarity with young people around the world who will protest against this bloody war and to show solidarity with the 48 per cent of the Iraqi population under the age of 16 - who will bear the brunt of a new war for oil," Mr Matt Waine, spokesman for the organisation Youth Against War.

" . . .All this is jut the start. We are preparing for significant stoppages in as many schools as possible on 'Day X', the day the war begins."

Today's action part of a European day of action that will see students in Germany, Sweden, Spain, Britain and the US organising protests to promote an anti-war message amongst young people.

"Today's action will send a message to the government that young people are not cynical and our voice will no be ignored," Mr Aaron Cole, a student from Plunkett College Dublin, said.