Mayday 'protest' circus entertains gleeful activists but alienates public

Self-styled 'heroes' feel important for a day! Public disgusted.

The prospects of a significant turnout in opposition to George W. Bush's visit to Ireland in late June have been greatly diminished by the small, unfocused and antagonistic antics of several hundred self-styled activists. Indymedia has been inundated with gleeful postings by individuals who are excited and exhilarated by interaction with the guards over the weekend. Activists have been comparing themselves to dissidents in Stalin's Soviet Union, to the French resistance and to Che Guevera.

I was arrested!!! :-)
I was doused by a water cannon!!! :-)
A guard hit me with a truncheon!!! :-)
I sat in a private park!!!! :-)
I was a political prisoner!!!! (for 2 hours)!!!!!
I feel so important!! It was all so much FUN!!!!!

Meanwhile the sincerely anti-war public looks on with disgust and pity - certain in its desire to have absolutely nothing to do with these people and with their made-up causes.

This is a disaster for the anti-war majority in Ireland. It is a victory for the US administration, who need not fear broad opposition on June 25/26th.