A chronology of arrests etc at Shannon warport

by Joe Mon Mar 10, 2003 15:28

Sometime around Feb 24 2003
Three Galway students are reported arrested at Shannon for 'Gathering information'. Rumors that their houses are later raided by the secret police (aka Special Branch). Also at least one earlier case of TV crew having names taken (charges may follow?)

by Eamonn Crudden Mon Mar 10, 2003 15:45

....during the mass break through of fence.

He guarantees that the 10 or so will be released without charge but emphasises repeatedly that file will be sent to the DPP and that charges may be brought at a later date . . .

by chief tom hanley Mon Mar 10, 2003 17:03

early november one of the plane spotters was arrested (wrongfully) by the airport police.after having being ejected out of the airport he and a observer walked down to the cargo gate to see if a world airlines had taken off to (enter in his log) airport police chief tom hanley made a run for them and grabbed the planespotters camera(to see what type of film he was using)and started to twist the flash gun form the camera.two more airport police and emergency services(apes)grabed the plane spotter and bungled in to a car and was taken down to the shannon guarda station and was released under caution but his camera and film was kept.the camera was returned a few days later and a statment was made against the apes chief hanley at shannon guarda station.two weeks later the plane spotter was told that the charges were dropped against him and the dpp wouldnt be bringing the apes chief to court over the assault charge made against him.trade off it might be but the plane spotter has three years to bring a civil suit against the apes chief tom hanley,mind you the dpp can bring the planespotter to court anytime this side of 2010.dont you just love the states justice!

by Dominic Tue Mar 11, 2003 03:22

All very exciting, isn't it? What a thrill it is to have the opportunity to live under an oppressive regime.

Grow up, you're just a bunch of kids playing at being freedom fighters.

by Sparks Tue Mar 11, 2003 09:18

"What a thrill it is to have the opportunity to live under an oppressive regime"

Lets see now -
Gardai beat protestors in the capital city's streets during a legal protest against street violence.
Gardai are charged with corruption, perjury, murder, theft, assault, and just about every other crime going (this has been happening for the last few years now, just rather quietly thanks to Pat Byrne's ability with the media)
Democratic process is mocked by running a binding referendum twice.
We enter the Partnership for Peace without vote, despite earlier committments to not do so without a binding referendum.
An actual tradition of corrupt politicians.
A convicted gun runner (Martin Ferris) being elected as a TD, along with several others who support terrorism.
The electorate lied to by the government prior to an election. Not shady stories, not false promises, actual outright lies regarding the statistics and other data regarding the economy.
The Freedom of Information Act being gutted following a report that consulted noone, written by six people, and the changes in the Act pushed through so fast that seanad members wound up in the debate on the changes before their copies of the changes had had a chance to arrive to them via the postal system.
An electronic voting system being brought in to which the government does not have the source code, has never seen the source code, and whose security cannot be verified.
And we don't have the option in this country to vote for "none of the above".
Popular vote for mayors being eliminated.
And education is now being clamped down even further. Rat-infested mouldy schools that are actual health risks (and with our health system, that's seriously bad), no funding to make teaching a good career (which ensures a vicious cycle where the best and brightest do not go on to teach new kids), and fees being reintroduced for college.

So Bigfoot, you're not kidding about that "oppressive regime". They may not be shooting people in the streets - but that's because they don't need to.

by jeff Tue Mar 11, 2003 13:16

...I'm emigrating, I have come to the conclusion that the majorety of Irish people need to be oppressed, and will smugly gufaw at anyone who tries to wake people up. Everyday I read this site, and I walk away more depressed than ever, because stupid people like Dominic keep on gufawwing...

I remember asking a REAL minimum wage guy, some thicko who worked at the same part time job as myself, some bouncer kid, I asked him recently who he would vote for;

"Fianna Fail". His logic was that theses cowboys were responsible for the Celtic Tiger. When I explained to him it was in fact Wall Street and the advent of the internet that was responsible for our superficial prosperity, you could hear the rusty clockwork beginning to move in his little used brain.

But he began to drool. Then I realised there is no point. I'nm going to save money, if the government allows that, then I'll move to Fiji, or the Falkland islands, just somewhere AWAY.

Then I will watch with glee middle class suburbanites like Dominic, poisoned by some gas attack, all as a result of their inertia and obedience. The politicians will probably join me on my island, where I will have laid traps in wait. Mary Hernia will get it last, slowly decapitated...

by pwdyson Wed Mar 12, 2003 00:42

More info on Pitstop Ploughshares at the link:

http://www.geocities.com/pwdyson/pitstop.html