Ploughshares Re-Trial ... Day One

by Lara Hill - none Wed Oct 26, 2005 14:05

This is a comment for 'Media Watcher'. There was a short paragraph in yesterday's Irish Times (Tuesday 25 October). On my way from the Courthouse yesterday I stopped into a café which stocks the daily papers and took a quick scan. It was only a few sentences in a column entitled 'In Short'. Still I was glad to see any coverage. Today there is an article by Bronagh Murphy on page 4 of the free paper, 'Metro'. I spoke to Newstalk on Monday 24th, but I don't know if they gave it any coverage in their shows or News Bulletins on Monday - I'll mail them and ask.

by Update Tue Oct 25, 2005 22:33

http://news.yahoo.com/fc/us/us_armed_forces

by Brief Tue Oct 25, 2005 22:29

Hopefully somone will put up a fresh post with more detailed reports on Day 2 in court.

In short 40 folks walked to court in bad weather. The weather got progressively better as the day went on. A good Rossport solidarity crew were also around the court. An anti-war vigil was maintained throughout the day outside the trial. The 2,000 U.S. military person lost their life in the Iraq War during today

The Prosecution opened their case against the Pit Stop Ploughshares. Aer Rianta, Airport Authroity, U.S. Navy, & 2 Garda gave testimony for the prosecution. Prosecution continues Wednesday. The Garda in the hangar testified although shocked the Poughshares expressed no violence or malice to him and comforted him during the disarmament action.

Mainstream media continues its policy of censorship around all issues Shannon not covering the case The Ploughshares look bouyant, good solidarity international and local. Food at St. Pauls after court was provided by Keane from Bread Not Bombs and Francis was great.

Drop in if you can into court or at the solidarity peace walk (9.15 from Spire) or also outside court to the peace vigil.

by Update Tue Oct 25, 2005 22:11

Daily Solidarity Routine Around Trial
*Begins Oct 24th, Trial Expected to run until Wednesday Nov. 2nd

*All visuals employed on the way to court and around the court (placards, banners etc) will be provided by the defendants. Please respect!

- 8.30 am Anti-War Vigil at The Spire, O'Connell St

- 9.15 am Peace Walk to Court (single file/silent in memory of the war dead).
We will be joined by Rose Gentle and Senator David Norris

-10.30am - 1pm`'Remembering Iraq War Dead' Vigil outside Four Courts

- 1pm Folks organise their own lunch

- 2pm-4pm `Remembering The War Dead' Vigil outside Four Courts

**************************************************************
*Autonomous nonviolent solidarity actions at other war related sites (eg. Dail, Aviation Authority, U.S. Embassy etc) by groups using their own visuals welcome.

**************************************************************
- TRIAL REFLECTION, FOOD AND DRINKS
(Bring some food and drink to share!)

*5pm – 6.30pm, St. Paul's Church Hall, Arran Quay

-Food will be followed by public meetings at Trinity College (Mon Oct 24th, Thurs Oct 27th & Tues Nov 1st. and a gig at the Lower Deck Fri Oct 28th.

On other evenings food will be followed by a circle of resistance at St. Paul's Church Hall, Aran Quay as international and local activists share experiences of ongoing nonviolent resistance to the war on Iraq.

Need to vacate St. Pauls nightly at 8 pm.

*************************************************************
PUBLIC MEETING - Thurs Oct. 27th. 7.30 pm -

Trinity College Davis Theatre Hall

*PUBLIC MEETING- "WAR IS TERROR IS WAR"

-Mairead Corrigan Maguire(Nobel Peace Laureate),

-Prof. John Maguire (Retired Professor Of Sociology, NUI Cork),

- Ed Horgan (Former Commandant Irish Defence Forces)

Entrance Free

*************************************************************
FRI OCT 28TH *Mid-Trial Party from 8pm

"St. Nicholas of Myra Hall (off Francis St.) Dublin 8

Music by Paul O'Toole and Banda Zingara from 8pm

Bring Food To Share & Bring your own Drinks

*************************************************************
SAT Oct 29th- Solidarity Info Stall 2pm-4pm

Cosantoiri Siochana Information Stall in Support of
Pitstop Ploughshares , Bank Of Ireland, 2-4pm
(Opposite Trinity College)
*************************************************************

PUBLIC MEETING - Tues Nov. 1st 7.30 pm - Trinity College Emmet Theatre Hall

VOICES FROM THE IRAQ WAR

- Jimmy Massey (US. War Combat Veteran of the Invasion & Occupation of Iraq))

- Kathy Kelly (from Sanctions busting U.S. group "Voices in the Wilderness", was present in Baghdad during the U.S. invasion)

-Ciaron O'Reilly (Shannon Defendant On Trial)
Trinity College Emmet Theatre Hall, 7.30pm

by Michael R. Tue Oct 25, 2005 20:28

Hopefully this picture is a foresight of things to come for the brave Ploughshares!! cut-n-paste article resectioned to OtherPress, see link below. Please don't cut-and-paste articles into the comments sections, especially if they're only tangentially related to the parent article that these comments are supposed to provide information on. Thanks - 1 of IMC Ed

by Interested Tue Oct 25, 2005 14:58

Standing Order Donor Would it be possible for you to cut and paste that article onto this page as a comment please?Not subscribed to the Times website...
Also is there any other time outside of 9-4 that one can go down and show solidarity with the 5?Work is a terrible constraint!

by Michael R. Tue Oct 25, 2005 14:50

Thanks for all the great pics. Thats my first time seeing Justin Morahan of the Peace People. A regular contributor to this site. Nice ot have a face to all the names.

Still nothing on Irish Times. 1.50pm. There is breaking news report though on the Rossport 5:-

http://www.ireland.com/newspaper/breaking/2005/1025/breaking10.htm

by Media Watcher Tue Oct 25, 2005 06:15

although they do report that McDowell will be looking into setting up an independent press complaints comission. Possibly madam has not yet had morning croissant and cafe-au-lait though and there will be a strongly worded editorial to delight our eyes in an hour or two?

by Media Watcher Tue Oct 25, 2005 06:11

Beaten to the punch by the Indo. Perhaps there'll be something more substantial from them later today when they get out of bed.

by Media Watcher Tue Oct 25, 2005 06:09

Barely a couple of paragraphs long. It just states the names and residences (roads, not actual house numbers) of the accused and says they pleaded "ot guilty to two counts each of causing damage without lawful excuse to the US naval plane and to glass door panels, property of Aer Rianta."

No byline on the modest little piece. However there is a great frontpage article about how viagra is good for you. Slow news day or is "peace activists on trial for damaging illegally present warplane" not sensational enough?

by Update Tue Oct 25, 2005 01:15

Sunday afternoon/evening -25 attended mass at St. cCatherine's Meath St celebrated by homeless solidarity activist Fr. Peter McVery of Ballymun. Babs,

Brian, Francis & Fara prepared food at St. Nicholas Myra Hall where local and iternational anti-war activists from Manchester, Glasgow, Oxford, Milton Keynes London, New York City, Chicago, Tacoma, Vancouver, Warsaw, Dublin introduced themselves and updated on anti-war resistance. Robbie, Carmen, Kitty & Babs sang. DVD of last Pit Stop Ploughshares trial was played.

Monday anti-war vigil was established at the Spire at O'Connell St. grew to 50 folks by 9 am. An inspring speech by Senator David Norris and thanks from the defendants. Followed by single file silent peace walk in memory of the dead of the war on Iraq.

Fr. Bill Bischell SJ who recently served 18 months in Federal Prison for nonviolent resistance at Ft. Benning (home of the School of the Americas & departure point for many of the U.S. troops transiting through Shannon on the way to Iraq gave a blessing and the defendants headed into court. Peace Vigil established outside the Four Courts.

In the morning Judge White appointed Judge McDonagh to hear the case and paneled a jury. The defendants each entered pleas of no guilty to two charges of criminal damge. In the afternoon Judge McDonagh was still hearing a case so adjourned the Ploughshares trial to start at 10.30 am Tuesday in Court 23.

Supporters headed to nearby St. Pauls for dinner.

Monday evening Carmen Trotta (18 years at the New York Catholic Worker) gave a stimulating presentation at Trinity. Eoin Dubsky whose case remains before the high court and Toby from the B52 Two who go to the House of Lords in January in relation to their attempted disarmament of a B52 Bomber at Fairford, England also spoke. About 25 attended the evening chaired by Ian Atack.

J

by Elaine Tue Oct 25, 2005 00:50

Jury selected, Trial starts in earnest tomorrow.

Ciaron And Carmen Trotta (From The New York Catholic Worker)

Eileen, Fr. Martin Newell (Resplendent In His Peace Scarf) And That Banner Again

Grainne - Kids Block - Not Being A Tortoise

Update Outside The Courts

Further Updates

by Elaine Tue Oct 25, 2005 00:42

that crossed generations and nationalities.

Some Of The Vigillers Outside The Courts

Swords Into Ploughshares Banner

Justin Morahan - Peace People

One Of The Youngest Participants - Safe From The Elements

Martha And Levi Chanting At The Courts

by Elaine Tue Oct 25, 2005 00:34

...restored

And They Shall Beat Their Swords Into Ploughshares

Martha's Amazing Banner

Tree Of Knowledge - Let Our Brave Hearts Go Stop The War

Saints Block Banner

Young Master MacGregor Makes A Tent From A Banner

by Elaine Tue Oct 25, 2005 00:30

So little time to photograph them all. Some went inside to watch court proceedings while others maintained a vigil outside the courts.

Maire At The Spire

Colm - Looking For Answers

Deirdre And Ciaron

Friends In High Places - Senator David Norris And Damien

Paul O'Toole - Give Us A Song Mister