Thousands protest against bombing IS in Syria

Thousands of people took the streets in London and Madrid to demand their government not to launch air strikes against the Islamic State in Syria in response to the Paris attacks that killed 130 people.

At least 5,000 people gathered in central London on Saturday carrying placards reading “Don’t bomb Syria”, “Drop Cameron, not bombs”, and “Don’t add fuel to the fire.” The demonstration was one of many across the country organised by the Stop The War Coalition protest movement. 

"[Prime Minister] David Cameron's incoherent proposals for action in Syria will do nothing to weaken ISIL, but will instead inflame the civil war, deepen the misery of the Syrian people, and increase the terrorist risk," said the Stop the War Coalition protest movement.

Britain is already involved in air strikes against Isis in Iraq and Prime Minister David Cameron is pushing for British fighter jets, to join France, the US, Russia, and other countries in targeting ISIL strongholds in neighbouring Syria.

On Saturday, Cameron said his country cannot wait any longer to carry out military interventions in the war-torn country “to keep Europe safe.” While insisting that British military action should only target ISIS, Cameron said Assad is “acting like a recruitment sergeant” for the Islamist group by savagely bombing his people and warned that the president cannot be included in any long-term strategy for stability in Syria.

UK Labour Party Leader Jeremy Corbyn has openly opposed the proposals, despite some in his shadow cabinet expressing their support for the Prime Minister’s proposals.

Protesters in central London answered a “not in our name” petition from dozens of artists that received about 34,000 online signatures to date, as European governments consider joining the air war in Syria.

Elsewhere, Spain Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, who faces a December general election, said he would hold off on any decision.

"Decisions have to be well thought through, as in any aspect of life," said Rajoy, who added Madrid was in touch with its allies pending a clear plan of action.

Rajoy's Popular Party is mindful of how in March 2004, under his predecessor Jose Maria Aznar, who had backed the US intervention in Iraq a year earlier, lost the general election which took place three days after 191 people were killed in a series of Madrid train bombings.