Belfast Rally

by Davy Carlin Tue Aug 08, 2006 16:52

} Notes circulated
2} Report of today’s Belfast Rally
3} Sat Call

Dear friends,

In Belfast with the initial IPSC demo, and the build up to today’s actions, 'Momentum to Mobilise has now been created

The recent newspaper advertisements for today’s actions and indeed today’s whole front Page of Daily Ireland, Ireland to Mobilise, under the title

‘Anti War Protests Planned across Ireland’ has also help see that momentum now created

And so such momentum, as ‘thought, has now ‘moved and reborn the Stop the War Coalition into action, and anyone not familiar with it can read the links attached for its history

The StWc name like those who are key supporters of it, the IPSC, ARN, ICTU, Derry Anti War Coalition and many more are all respected organisations and have a history of mobilising and support for calls – as has the StWc.

And so as circulated please support below on {SAT}, the Momentum has been created {will go into it later} so we need to now focus it, and with that - lets get our feet onto the streets today and on Sat, and support any other actions

History of the Anti War Movement -

Part one – building an anti war movement

http://www.phoblacht.net/buildingbelfast.html

Part two – Moving to action

http://lark.phoblacht.net/movingto.html

2} We have now created the Momentum - so now support the StWc’s call

Today’s Belfast Rally

Several hundred attended the Trocaire Rally in Belfast today with representation across the Movement in attendance and lending support.

Several of the key NGO organisations and their representatives from the MPH - CGAP, Northern Coalition where there. Politicians including Gerry Adams {SF}, Carmel Hanna {SDLP} David Ervine {PUP}, the Mayor of Belfast etc, had stood shoulder to shoulder with key trade unionists as well as banners and placards ranging from NIPSA to UNISON, through to Reps of the Belfast Trade Union Council.

Party banners from the SDLP through to the Workers party joined activists and supporters of Organise! through to the SP and SWP. Key activists from the IPSC, ARN, the Chinese Welfare Society and Belfast Islamic Centre where joined with banners from Amnesty International through to Trocaire, local key cross community workers and activists joined reps from student bodies and student political groups. The Belfast Anti War Movement and various other solidarity campaigns where joined by church groups and local workers who had come out on their lunch break- this amongst many other various others, individually, and from various other organisations - whom had attended.

So friends now with such ‘Collective Representation of the Movement’ having now been mobilised against War for the first time in years, lets now get into our Networks, our Colleges our Workplace our unions and get our college friends, family and activists onto the streets on Sat.

Thanks to Trocaire for this essential call and organisation, and to the grassroots activists who had also worked in the background to mobilise such Collective support.

The Momentum has now been Created let Belfast voices again go out loud and clear, and again put our feet on to the streets on Sat

See you all there –

In Solidarity Davy Carlin

PS – There was loads of media at it – so should be plenty of pics floating around

3} – The Stop the War Coalition Rally

Date: Saturday 12 August
Assemble: 11.45am Writers Square (Donegall St)
March: 12.10pm
Rally: Belfast City Hall - 12.30pm

The Stop the War Coalition which has brought together the Belfast Anti War
Movement, Derry Anti-War Coalition, Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Committee
and the ARN, together with trade-union representatives of major trade-unions
and leaders of ICTU, is holding a March and Rally on Saturday 12 August.
The purpose of the rally is to call for an immediate ceasefire in Lebanon.
Speakers from the IPSC, the ARN, ICTU and Eamonn McCann have been invited to
address the rally.

Your organisation is asked to support this event and encouraged to bring
banners and supporters.
Please forward this email to all contacts in your address book.

Contact details: - of some of those organisations who support the StWc -

www.ictu.ie
www.anti-racism.tk
www.ipsc.ie
www.bawm.org

by Davy Carlin Thu Aug 10, 2006 16:46

The Derry Anti war Coalition have occupied the US defence company Raytheon.

BBC –

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/northern_ireland/477...1.stm

The Anti war Movement in the North has a history of embracing many tactics over the last few years.

Link – Part 2 - http://lark.phoblacht.net/movingto.html

Indeed as I had stated in Part two of the History of the local Anti War Movement –

‘In reality in Belfast thousands of trade Unionists, student, community, peace and anti-war activists and others have engaged in five days of non violent civil disobedience some small others large scale - more than that of many other such movements and organisations that actually called for it - as we gave the state no warning and the sheer numbers at times of the movement in spontaneous action was what some knew may well happen. {Lock downs, occupations, walkouts, roadblocks, sit downs, various direct actions and much more}

Of course one needs to be highly organised in such a period and to have accountable and democratic structures giving a strategic lead albeit with tactical changes as and when it necessitates. It was though the spontaneous action from the movement from below rather than a call from above on this occasion that gave both the element of surprise and provided heightened consciousness of the strength held in such a movement through that collective action from below' -.

- - - All such needed to be and was utilised over this time, this, in comparison to other Movements who called march after march , and although marching is essential, one just has to look at the Vietnam protests and many various actions involved while seeking to build mass mobilisations.

Indeed,

As I state in the forthcoming article in WCR

‘For the wider Anti War Movement, it needs to acknowledge that there are many tactics that needs to be employed to highlight, dismantle, and to attempt to bring an end to the wars, the war machine, and the continual slaughter. May it be in the mobilisation of as many people on the streets as possible through to various forms of direct action, all is an integral part of the Anti War movement.

‘Anti War activists in Ireland need to continue to attempt to end the Governments collaboration with those who are responsible for this slaughter and to direct our attentions at the facilities provided for such slaughter. We have a responsibility to not only speak out against this, but to actively organise, mobilise and direct our collective power and actions against such’.

{In the few months ahead I am to write Part 3 of the local Anti War Movement - ‘Re –vitalised through Momentum created.}

The Derry Anti War Coalition, from that march from Derry {which I also had the privilege to partake in} through to now the ongoing occupation had shown, as with Belfast, that while activists work to build for mass mobilisation, many many other tactics are and need to be used, as has been our recent Movement and Coalition histories in the North..
.
.

Solidarity to the Derry Anti War Coalition, and fair play to them for again putting themselves on the line to highlight the ongoing slaughter,

-it has only begun one thinks..

Belfast Telegraph article -

War protesters storm Raytheon
Up to 50 police involved in stand-off
By Brendan McDaid

09 August 2006

Anti-war protesters today stormed American arms manufacturer Raytheon's Londonderry base, with nine people barricading themselves into the building and wrecking equipment.

The protesters were soon locked in a tense stand-off with upwards of 50 police officers, after some of them inflicted considerable damage, especially to computers.

According to the protesters, the computer system was "completely disabled".

Amid chaotic scenes at the Buncrana Road site, thousands of documents and dozens of computers were burned and thrown from windows by members of a group that entered the building at 8am today.

Among those who entered the premises to protest against the world's largest missiles manufacturer was veteran civil rights campaigner Eamonn McCann.

An American flag was also set alight and a glass door smashed as debris rained down from a second floor window and littered the area outside.

A banner was unfurled from inside the building, reading "Raytheon has been decommissioned".

A dozen more people protesting over the deaths of Lebanese civilians remained outside, with placards bearing anti-war and anti-Raytheon slogans.

Speaking from inside the complex, as dozens of uniformed police gathered, Mr McCann said: "The people of Derry cannot go on feeling shock and horror as they watch TV screens and do nothing,

"I certainly would not welcome an arrest and prosecution, who would? But judgment has to be made, people felt they had no option but to take this form of direct action."

Fellow anti-war protester and member of Socialist Environmental Alliance Goretti Horgan, who was one of those protesting outside the building at the Ulster Science and Technology Park on Buncrana Road, said: "There is a bit of property damage but that is as nothing compared to the thousands of people dying.

"We had to do the damage in order to get a chance to put Raytheon in the dock. We want to try and stop or slow down Raytheon production even for a short while because any kind of delay to getting bombs to Israel to drop on innocent Lebanese and Palestinian people has to be welcomed."

Around 50 police were on the premises both inside and out as the protest developed.

There were minor scuffles as police tried to prevent people leaving the scene without being searched and a police cordon was erected around the building, with the protesters pushed back and informed that the area was a crime scene.

A spokeman for Raytheon said this morning that the company is not making any comment "on this particular occasion".

The protest was the latest in a line of actions taken against the arms giant by anti-war protesters in Derry.

In March 2003, 12 people invaded the premises and conducted a short sit-in.

Raytheon is the world's fourth largest arms manufacturer and the largest missile manufacturer. It developed Tomahawk Cruise, Hellfire and Patriot missiles and related software currently being used in the war on Iraq.

The company was brought to Derry as part of Northern Ireland's "peace dividend" following the ceasefires after a lobby by politicians.

However Raytheon's presence in the city has led to numerous protests and it warned jobs would be lost if the protests - which included a "grave digging" ceremony in November 2004 - continued.

by Davy Carlin Thu Aug 10, 2006 16:48

FINAL CALL -

The – ‘ STOP THE WAR COALITION, in the North, has organised and called a march and rally. { as below} Key organisations that can mobilise such as ICTU, through to those who have a recent history of being able to mobilise onto the streets, in their own right as an Organisation or movement, such as ARN - IPSC and DAWC etc have supported this call, this as well as others who have put their name to it, and I am sure others can do so even at this late time.

Indeed, as the key organisations, they of course should be the four invited speakers as advertised. {so no problems there I am sure} –

I know that many others are preparing to mobilise, and have and are circulating their membership for this {others are doing so now} - and it is doing the rounds around the networks and radio etc. I urge all to attend and to send our voices out loud against the ongoing slaughter in Lebanon.

NOTE - but let us not forget Palestine, Iraq, Afghanistan and the others who are being brutalised and slaughtered in the region while we do so.

Also if activists want to make their own posters and leaflets to advertise the rally then I would urge u to do so {as ur organisation will have more ‘pulling power’ with your membership}, as I know others who are supporting the rally are also doing so.

So please all Support the - STOP THE WAR COALITIONS {StWc} MARCH AND RALLY ON SAT – and also send and lend solidarity to the Derry Anti War Coalition

Keep up the build up and the momentum in the background and in the networks as I know many are doing through contact, - and also bring friends, family and colleagues with you

So ALL OUT ON SAT -

Hope to see you there.

The history of the Anti War Movement –

Part 1 – http://www.phoblacht.net/buildingbelfast.html

Part 2- http://lark.phoblacht.net/movingto.html

Part three to follow shortly, it will detail, in full, the ‘revitalising of the Anti War movement, those moved into such calls, and the momentum created to ensure that.

Now the momentum is created lets focus it and send out the clearest of voice, while embracing, if one so wishes – and as is the North’s Anti War history – all NVCD and DA if required.

In Solidarity Davy Carlin -

LINK - http://www.phoblacht.net/DC19070618g.html

So one more reminder -

STOP THE WAR COALITION MARCH AND RALLY

Date: Saturday 12 August
Assemble: 11.45am Writers Square (Donegall St)
March: 12.10pm
Rally: Belfast City Hall - 12.30pm

The Stop the War Coalition which has brought together the Belfast Anti War
Movement, Derry Anti-War Coalition, Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Committee
and the ARN, together with trade-union representatives of major trade-unions
and leaders of ICTU, is holding a March and Rally on Saturday 12 August.
The purpose of the rally is to call for an immediate ceasefire in Lebanon.
Speakers from the IPSC, the ARN, ICTU and Eamonn McCann have been invited to
address the rally.

by Davy Carlin Thu Aug 10, 2006 19:04

Total agreement - as per Marks point below, all support visible and otherwise needs to be given for all 9 who had protested.

That starts with activists getting down to the solidarity picket that has been called
tomorrow at 9.30am in front of the Old Court (High Court) Belfast.

Solidarity is not only essential but is a must for all progressive activists to stand with these anti war activists tomorrow, that is Eamonn McCann and another of the Derry protestors

I would urge activists from all Anti War campaigns and non, to lend visible support and, if they can, to hold similar solidarity pickets around Ireland - {it only takes a few people to do - but sends out a powerful message of Solidarity}

See you there {at Belfast picket} tomorrow.

In Solidarity Davy Carlin -

From Mark Hewitt -{SWP}

The 9 anti-war protestors who disupted business at Raytheons Derry office
have been remanded in custody until September 7th. They have been charged
with 'aggravated burglary', 'criminal damage', and 'unlawful assembly'.
Some of these charges are 'scheduled offences' which allows the state to
prosecute in front of a Judge and no jury (the notorious Diplock court
system). After the aquittal of the Pitstop Ploughshares defendants in front
of a jury recently for action at Shannon airport the state here does not
want the same outcome.

Eamonn McCann and another of the Derry protestors will be applying for bail
tomorrow at the High Court at 9.30am. A solidarity picket has been called
tomorrow at 9.30am in front of the Old Court (High Court) Belfast. Please
spread the word and bring banners, placards etc.
"Stopping War Crimes is Not a Crime"