We asked anti-war campaigners why they oppose bombing Syria

Bristol students were among the hundreds who marched through the city centre last night, in protest against potential British air strikes in Syria. The impassioned constituents wanted their voices heard in the light of the Commons debate.

Marching past Wills Memorial building

Some of the protesters occupied the one way system on Park Street and it was temporarily shut down as a result.

Park Street at roughly 8pm last night

Many of the members of the crowd were from Bristol uni. We asked them why they felt so strongly about the planned air strikes.

Charlie Guy, Jack Wilkinson, Jack Willes – fifth year Engineering Design

David Cameron thinks you’re terrorist sympathisers, what do you make of that?

“We’re clearly not sympathising with terrorists, we want to fight against them. That’s just simplifying the problem. We want a much more sensible and strategic approach to defeating ISIS.”

“Yeah, cut their finances, cut their weapons, and that’s how we’re going to beat them – bombing is just going to make things worse.”

Laura Ewell, first year Philosophy

“I came to protest today because thousands of people in Bristol think bombing Syria isn’t the solution to protecting the UK against Isis. After 14 years of fighting the war on terror we’re tired of the murder, hate and fear our government’s policies have initiated. We are here to ask the politicians to listen to what we have to say and think twice about what bombing will achieve.”

Henry Wyatt, first year Religion and Theology

“My message is just don’t fucking bomb Syria.”

James Ogle, second year Civil Engineering

How do you respond to David Cameron’s remarks that you’re a terrorist sympathiser?

“That’s ludicrous, they say if you don’t learn from history then you’re doomed to repeat it, and it’s pointless intervention which caused these problems in the Middle East in the first place.”

Diego, Erasmus studying Mathematics

“We’ve seen what intervention has done, we’ve seen British wars in the Middle East and we’ve seem the consequences of military action in those regions, it’s not going to solve anything. Bombing Syria is only going to create more suffering to the people living there. It’s not going to eliminate the terrorism. War on terror is bullshit.”

Hattie Rose Hansen, Philosophy second year

“That David Cameron has the audacity to accuse anti-bombing protestors of being terrorist sympathisers is disgusting, not least because of the hypocrisy it carries given that the UK is wanking off Saudi Arabia in spite of its abhorrent human rights record. There’s no evidence whatsoever that bombing has or will improve the situation in Syria at all, but it is certain to cause civilian deaths. Not in my name.”

Gina Lloyd, Pharmacology, second year

“It’s completely illogical and will not solve the problem. Bombing Syria is only going to perpetuate terrorism in Britain.”