​‘Stop NATO!’ Anti-militarist protest gains momentum in Wales ahead of summit

Organized by the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, the Stop the War Coalition and South West against Nuclear, protesters gathered to state that 150 heads of state and ministers heading to the Celtic Manor Resort on Thursday and Friday will not be welcomed.

#solidarity w/ those in Wales this weekend protesting NATO! #NoToWar#NoToNATO shoutout comrade Joe Lombardo :] pic.twitter.com/nlf4FlezhP

— Mari Matsuo (@Mari_Matsuo) August 31, 2014

“Membership of NATO binds European nations – including the UK – to internationally unpopular US foreign policy, a foreign policy increasingly unpopular around the world. NATO membership forces non-nuclear countries to host US nuclear bombs in their countries, near their population,” CND said in its call to action.

The chartist join in #NoToNato#Newport@sariiiiii@KathlynGadd@BarbiRashid@Adam007Ali@gmstopthewar@pgo1980#BDSpic.twitter.com/BSvy6FnoGE

— Yasin (@YasinDin) August 31, 2014

As well as a strong Welsh crowd, demonstrators came from as far as the US, Belgium, France and Ireland. More rallies are planned throughout the week, with the culmination expected to hit Thursday and Friday, when dozens of world leaders arrive.

#NoToNato@jeremycorbyn@codepink@STWuk@CNDuk@AFSCpeace activists from all over the world march against NATO pic.twitter.com/wzQxMvB9H5

— Jon Proctor (@Jon_Proctor92) August 31, 2014

The summit is expected to focus on the Ukrainian crisis and what members consider a Russian role in it, tensions in Afghanistan, and security challenges across the wider Middle East. In total, some 9,500 police officers will provide security for the event. Twelve miles of security fencing was erected in Cardiff and Newport to ensure the world leaders' safety during the event, effectively turning the city centers into massive open-air prisons.