A WEEKEND of protests and prayers in the region sent out a defiant anti-war message to Tony Blair.

As 100,000 peace protestors converged on London for a mass rally, opponents to the war took their banners and slogans deep into the Prime Minister's heartland.

Two protests in Mr Blair's Sedgefield constituency reminded the premier that the war may have started, but thousands of people in the North-East still oppose it.

Meanwhile, Ripon Cathedral became the first British cathedral to open its doors to Muslims as worshippers prayed for peace. Christians stood with their heads bowed while Muslim believers knelt on prayer mats in the historic setting.

This religious harmony was mirrored at Northumbria University, Newcastle, where, in what is thought to be the first event of its kind, an ecumenical synod was held for 650 Christians of all denominations.

There was less harmony though in Newcastle city centre where an estimated 600 people attempted to march from Grey's Monument to the Civic Centre on Saturday, but were prevented by police due to safety concerns. They staged a vigil at St Thomas's Church, in the Haymarket.

Back in Mr Blair's heartland, almost a hundred campaigners gathered outside Trimdon Labour Club on Saturday morning to act out a scene showing a caricature Tony Blair leaping though hoops at the command of a caricature George Bush.

They targeted the club after hearing it was holding a meeting to discuss the PM's re-selection and vainly hoped that he would be there.

By the afternoon the focus had switched to nearby Fishburn, where about 500 peace protestors converged on the village.

They arrived in about 200 cars which had formed a go-slow protest which snaked its way through Middlesbrough, Thornaby, Stockton and Sedgefield, leaving some minor traffic disruption in its wake.

The rector of Sedgefield, Martin King, was among the crowds cheering the cavalcade as it reached Fishburn.

He said: "We have weakened the people of Iraq with sanctions, making them more dependent on Saddam and now we are pulverising them.

"When it comes to war God isn't necessarily on our side - he is on the side of those who suffer."

Protest organiser Sarfraz Mian said: "There are some people on this demonstration who have relatives back in Iraq and protests like this give them a voice.

"As we went through Teesside we had lots of support from people, but like parliament, the nation is divided and we found some who disagreed with us.

"I'm pretty sure Tony Blair isn't listening to us, but he should be aware that he will be remembered as the Prime Minister who took us into a pre-emptive war."

The weekend also saw 1,000 people descend on the US military base at Menwith Hill, near Harrogate, North Yorkshire, to launch their 'foil the base' campaign

Armed with foil balloons, they hoped to disrupt the high-tech communications that are thought to keep Menwith Hill in constant contact with military operations in the Gulf.

The largest electronic monitoring station in the world, the site won an award for its eavesdropping in the last Gulf War.

It was a largely peaceful protest, although police made seven arrests as the protest wore on into the late afternoon.

Mass peace rallies also took place in London and Glasgow, but numbers were considerably down on last month's protests.

In London, where veteran protester John Williams joined an estimated 100,000 marchers, some sensed a feeling of resignation.

Mr Williams said: "People in Britain are indifferent to what's going on in Iraq. I think we should march on the American Embassy and burn it down - the Government would notice that."

Yesterday, congregations during all three Sunday services at Durham Cathedral prayed for both sides in the conflict.

Canon Martin Kitchen said the prayers encompassed all shades of opinion

24/03/2003