Reckon 40,000 is a good guesstimate / Best RTS Ever against War today

Saturday March 29, 2003 22:27

by no goodman

Good to see the Papa Noir out of Jail too and refusing to modulate his tone one iota. The words Lickspittle and Lackey are coming to life again.

March took 2 hours + to pass by GPO area of O'Connell Street. I took a wander around entire edge of Crowd at Parnell SQ as I did on F 15 and at that estimated that about 40% of the standing room used on f 15 was being used - RTE Estimates of 20,000 and Gardai Estimate quoted by Ireland.com of 8000 is ridiculous.

The Crowd did not gather in one place at any time - I arrived at Taoiseachs office at back of the march and people were breaking off heading for Stephens Green and dispersing before it swung around to final Destination - as the last 1/4 or so of the march was arriving 100's were streaming back towards Stephens Green - obviously interested in showing their support but anxious to get on with other activities.

The atmosphere was amazing throughout and a real feeling of people finding power in solidarity - amazing too for 1 week's notice up against SF Ard Fheis and Whatever Matches it was people were talking about.

April 15th with a little work will be a Daniel O'Connell Style Monster Meeting.

Lies about numbers will only at this stage serve to further anger people as this country is so small and so many people travelled that rumour is a more efficient news distribution system than RTE et Al. If people think RTE /Irish Crimes and Indo are lying and ignoring them they put themselves in a bad position.

The entire country is behind the demand to get the US out of Shannon and the Government are playing on dangerous ground by ignoring massive repeated peaceful expressions of this.

Bertie should call his ppl in Spain and see what happens when the ideal of Democracy is sidelined and an administration involves itsself in a war against the easily discernable and clearly expressed will of the people.

Mary Kelly is now a national hero by the looks of things. She read from Nuremburg Charter from the Main Stage.

It was like the best RTS ever today and way beyond the size of the emergency weekend after day X protest which began in Dame Street.

Lots of talk from crowd and stage about Thoreau style Non Violent Civil Disobedience and a feeling that more and more people want to take the Nuremburg Charter Seriously.

The hiundreds lying down to have their bodies outlined in chalk at the main entrance to the Taoiseachs Office were great too.

It's good to know a mark was left if only for a short time.

Good to see the Papa Noir out of Jail too and refusing to modulate his tone one iota. Another proto shannon peace house reunion was nice too.

Good to see so many making independent Media and beautiful creative handmade statements in the face of an ugly criminal war. Blowback is going to come to the US/K coalition and those who back it in many unfamiliar ways. I mean there were way more people in the street in Dublin today than there were at the famous Anti-Vietnam Democratic National Convention Protests in Chicago in the late 60's for instance and the war is only overtly (as opposed to covertly) on for what - 10 days? and this is Ireland for Fecks sake on a big match day.