Protests at Shannon to greet Bush: press conference announces details

national | anti-war / imperialism | press release Friday May 28, 2004 12:14 by Anti-War Ireland info at antiwarireland dot org 087 1258325

ANTI-WAR IRELAND press release, 28/5/04

Anti-war demonstrators will march on Shannon airport as Bush arrives in Ireland

A press conference will be held at 2pm today at the Teachers' Club, Parnell Square, Dublin, to announce details of protests to be held at Shannon when President Bush arrives in the country. Anti-War Ireland will be represented by Dr Fintan Lane; Dublin Grassroots Network by Clare Lee; and Ambush2004 by Caoimhe Butterly.

George W. Bush will be met by a series of anti-war demonstrations when in arrives in Ireland at the end of June. Anti-War Ireland, a broad-based national alliance of anti-war groups, has called a demonstration for Friday evening, 25 June, to protest at the presence of the US president as he arrives in the country. This will be followed by another demonstration on Saturday, which will be organised jointly by Anti-War Ireland, the Dublin Grassroots Network, and Ambush2004. The following are the main events of the planned weekend of protest at Shannon:

Friday evening, 25 June: An Anti-War Ireland demonstration will assemble at 7pm at Shannon town centre before marching to the airport. The intention is to be at the airport as George W. Bush arrives on Irish soil. It is also intended in equal measure as a protest against the integration of Shannon airport into the US war machine. Buses will travel to this demonstration from Dublin, Cork, Galway, and other areas. Organised by Anti-War Ireland, the demonstration will be supported by the Dublin Grassroots Network and Ambush2004.


Saturday, 26 June: A parade for peace will be held from Bunratty to Shannon to oppose the presence of George W. Bush and to highlight our opposition to the refuelling of US warplanes at Shannon aiport. This demonstration will assemble in Bunratty at 12pm before heading towards Shannon. The parade for peace will be lively, with musicians, street performers and artists making it a colourful event. Places will be provided in cars and mini-buses at the rear of the procession for older and very young protesters. Organised jointly by Anti-War Ireland, Dublin Grassroots Network, and Ambush2004.


There will be other anti-war events also, including a 'Critical Mass' cycle from Dublin to the Friday evening demonstration in Shannon. We expect many people to stay in the area for the two days and have sent out a call for international anti-war activists to travel to County Clare for the duration of Bush's visit.

According to Dr Fintan Lane, convenor of Anti-War Ireland: "We expect thousands of people to turn out for the protests against Bush when he arrives in this country. The majority of Irish people opposed the invasion of Iraq from the very beginning and that anti-war sentiment still prevails. Fianna Fail and the PDs have behaved appallingly and have ignored the majority opinion in the country on this issue. The 100,000 people who marched in Dublin on February 15th last year were treated with utter contempt by the Government, which continues to facilitate the US war machine at Shannon airport. Anti-War Ireland will be focusing strongly on the misuse of Shannon airport and as far as we are concerned these demonstrations will be as much about Irish complicity as the presence of Bush. We want an immediate end to the transit of US troops through Shannon."

"We decided to protest at Shannon airport because we want Bush to be greeted with protests as he lands on Irish soil, and because we want to focus attention on the integration of Shannon airport into the US war machine. More than 125,000 US troops passed through Shannon last year and we can be fairly sure than at least some of those subsequently engaged in human rights abuses in Iraq. The Irish Government has made Ireland complicit in this illegal and immoral occupation, and it has blood on its hands. The fact that anti-war activists such as Mary Kelly and the Catholic Worker Five are before the courts is another consequence of Irish complicity and we believe that the charges against these people should be dropped immediately."

"We expect large numbers to attend the anti-Bush protests in County Clare and we want him to return home with a clear understanding of the depth of Irish opposition to his warmongering. We are calling on people to travel to Shannon for 7pm on Friday, June 25th, to make their voices heard as Bush touches down on Irish soil. We are also asking people to support the demonstration on the following day to underline our anti-war message as Bush leaves this country. It is important that people turn up."

"It is also important that people speak out against the ridiculous waste of public money on security while President Bush is in this country. The latest information we have is that 4,000 gardai and more than 1,500 troops will be drafted into County Clare to protect this warmonger. Moreover, gardai have gone door-to-door in Shannon town during the past week or two enquiring into ordinary citizens' political and moral beliefs, and looking for information that they have no right to. This is a completely unacceptable use of taxpayers' money. If the visit goes ahead, and these security resources are in fact deployed, then we hope the bill goes directly to the White House. Fianna Fail and the PDs are behaving like lapdogs for George W. Bush."

Anti-War Ireland is a broad-based national alliance of anti-war groups, including the Clare/Limerick-based Mid-West Alliance Against Military Aggression, the Cork Anti-War Campaign, Fairview Against the War, the Dublin Anti-War Group, and other groups and individuals across the country. (Dr Fintan Lane is convenor of Anti-War Ireland, while Caoimhe Butterly and Tim Hourigan are both national spokespersons).


PRESS RELEASE ENDS

To contact Fintan Lane, phone 087 1258325.

Other Anti-War Ireland spokespersons include Caoimhe Butterly (087 2134160) and Tim Hourigan (087 9777703).