ANTI-WAR demonstrators took to the streets of St Albans this week following Sunday's bombing of Afghanistan by British forces.

A silent candle lit vigil, hosted by the St Albans Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND), was held outside St Albans City Station on Monday evening.

Forty members and sympathisers attended the gathering, under the slogan "An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind", which was seen by thousands of commuters.

CND secretary Laurie Gibson, from St Albans, said: "It seems to me that there is a lot of disquiet out there.

"We are told that this bombing will cause few civilian casualties and that there will be little adverse reaction but I am not sure people believe this.

"We did not receive a single hostile comment on Monday night."

The group believes that non-violent methods should be used wherever possible and military action should first be sanctioned by the United Nations.

Mr Gibson added: "We are against weapons of mass destruction. We call on those who want to oppose further violence and more military retaliation to meet us at 11.30am at St Albans City Station on Saturday to travel to London to attend a rally in Trafalgar Square."

St Albans CND formed in the early 1980's to protest against the use of cruise missiles and has about 100 members who meet two or three times a year.

Meanwhile, Herts Anti-War Coalition (AWC) also held a vigil at the war memorial opposite the Blacksmith Arms in St Peter's Street before joining CND at the station.

Organiser Peter Segal, from Harpenden, said: "It was good. We got a lot of support from passers-by and only one negative comment from some young lads in a car.

"Support came from families, people pressing their horns as they drove by and people just walking past some came and joined in.

"We wanted to show that there is a lot of anti-war feeling in St Albans."

The AWC is holding a public meeting next Thursday at 7.30pm at Trinity United Reformed Church, on the corner of Beaconsfield Road and Victoria Street, St Albans.

Harpenden Quakers also organised a vigil in the town's High Street on Monday night.

Organiser Trevor Evans, from Harpenden, said: "Most people walked by but we hope we got people thinking.

"We feel diplomacy, aid and the role of the law have not been given a fair chance. It's likely to cause divisions among the Muslim countries."

Archdeacon of St Albans, the Venerable Richard Cheetham, said: "In so far as the military actions being taken are measured and targeted at combating the evil of terrorism, there is widespread support within the churches for them.

"But we would not support indiscriminate action against the Afghan people, and we want the aid programme continuing to relieve their suffering."

He encouraged Christians to pray for a peaceful end to the crisis.

October 11, 2001 20:03

Clair Weaver