Workers' Party support non-violent direct action at Shannon

national | miscellaneous | news report Tuesday February 04, 2003 13:38 by Sean O Cionnaith - The Workers' Party 23 Hill Street, Dublin 1.

Dublin WP Chairman Seán Ó Cionnaith supports action against US military aircraft by Catholic Worker group and Mary Kelly.

The Workers’ Party chairman in Dublin, Seán Ó Cionnaith has said that peaceful direct action against US military planes at Shannon Airport is justifiable and he praised members of the Catholic Worker organisation and peace campaigner Mary Kelly for the action they had taken against a US Navy plane at Shannon.

Mr. Ó Cionnaith said that the government was allowing the refuelling of US planes carrying troops and munitions on their way to a “theatre of war in waiting”. This was not only a flagrant violation of Irish neutrality but was also against the wishes of the vast majority of Irish citizens.

“Those who are breaking the law are the Taoiseach and his government who are violating the Irish Constitution on a daily basis. I would go as far as congratulating the peace protesters for attempting to decommission this US Navy plane through non-violent direct action. Unfortunately the Taoiseach seems to be obsessed with hatchets and hammers while at the same time turning a blind eye to far more lethal weapons carried by uniformed US troops on Irish soil”.

The Workers’ Party representative said that with increased Garda and Irish Army security at Shannon, and the ongoing presence of US Secret Service personnel, the airport had taken on the outward appearance of a US military base. “Germany has Fort Ramstein, Britain has Lakenheath and now Ireland has Fort Ahern on Shannon Estuary”, he said.