Fly-in protest to Shannon airport
national |
anti-war / imperialism |
news report 
Friday March 17, 2006 02:28
by Fintan Lane - Anti-War Ireland
I thought that this story would be reported/posted by PANA or somebody more directly involved in organising the event, but it has hasn't happened, so I here is my very short version:
On Wenesday, 15 March, a fly-in protest (organised by the Peace and Neutrality Alliance) occurred at Shannon airport. Those who fly in were Roger Cole (PANA), Tony Gregory TD, Senator David Norris, John Maguire (Anti-War Ireland), Finian McGrath TD, John Gormley TD, A. O Snodaigh TD, Joe Costello TD, Joe Higgins TD, Fintan Lane (Anti-War Ireland) and Tommy Broughan TD. We boarded an 11.30 flight at Dublin and flew direct to Shannon in order to avoid the usual security attempts to quash Shannon protests,
We were joined by Jan O'Sullivan TD at Shannon.
As protests go, it was relatively uneventful, except insofar as it actually happened. It was a clever initiative by PANA that alllowed us to successfully avoid the clampdowns that have suppressed all protests at the airport since 2003.
On a personal note, it was nice to be part of an anti-war protest within Shannon airport terminal, having been banned from the entire county for a two-year period.
The struggle does on.
A protest was held within terminal and also outside the front door.
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Comments (3 of 3)
Jump To Comment: 1 2 3Top Video news story, Planespotting. Can't get direct link.
Plane-Spotting
Claiming the U.S. is using Ireland's Shannon Airport to send terror suspects on flights destined for torture, Irish opposed to the practice are keeping watch to try to stop it. Mark Phillips reports.
Re motion br Cllr Greg Duff, still can't find those Shannon TC minutes http://www.shannon.ie/stc_meetings.html
The Government has said it accepts assurances from the US government that no such prisoners have been on board any flights passing through Shannon.
However, peace campaigners want the Irish authorities to go further and inspect US flights to make sure Irish territory is not being used for illegal activities.
The Peace and Neutrality Allianc e has arranged a special "fly-in protest" today whereby a plane carrying politicians opposed to the US use of Shannon will fly from Dublin to the Co Clare airport.
more at
http://breakingnews.iol.ie/news/story.asp?j=176070752&p...7y458
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some commentary at
http://www.blather.net/zeitgeist/archives/2006/03/elect....html
The Fly IN protest at Shannon airport on the 15th of March organised by the Peace & Neutrality Alliance is only the first. We are planning similar protests. We would like to thank all those who took part.
A recent poll of US troops serving in Iraq showed that 72% of them wanted to get out of Iraq by the end of 2006. Others have shown that the majority of Americans no longer support the Bush regime's war on Iraq. Bush's defeat in Iraq is enivitable. That grovling, sycophantic, fore-lock touching, gombeen man, Bertie Ahern, backed the wrong horse.
However, make no mistake, the Soldiers of Destiny are absolutely committed to supporting this war and the coming war on Iran to the hilt and they have the support of virtually the entire establishment media.
Indymedia offers one of the only media outlets tha that provides a voice to those of us who, unlike Ahern, do not want to die for Bush.
Those of us who oppse the decision of the Irish elite to re-establish the Irish Imperial tradition by backing this war and by intergrating the Irish Army into the Battle Groups of the EU need to work more closely together if we are to defeat them and I was pleased that representatives of Anti-war Ireland took part in the fly in protest.
All Ahern and the Irish political/media elite are offering the Irish people is deeper and deeper involvement in the resource wars of the 21st century, wars in which their defeat is the only inevitable outcome. However, if we continue to work together we can stop them.
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