photo essay / Hands off Lebanon demonstration march

by Sheepstealer Tue Aug 01, 2006 01:11

Reflections on Ciarán O'Reillly's threatening statement to close down Shannon Airport(!):

"Brendan is disturbed by the Catholic Worker's intention to ask his governmment to demilitarise Shannon Airport by a specific date, failing that the promise that we will close down the airport with nonviolent resistance until it is demilitarised!"

The Catholic Worker Movement has every right to request of those in power in Leinster House to bring on end to the use of Shannon Airport as a stopover by the US military, I totally agree with this. But, I do not agree with the Catholic Worker Movement threatening to close down Shannon Airport (temporarily) by their actions (they have no right to do this!). This is an extremely stupid statement, nothing will turn people against ye more than threatening to close Shannon Airport down, as Shannon Airport is important to those living in its environs and to the Irish citizens who use it regularly and to the workers employed there, and it will be the ordinary people of Ireland that need to use Shannon Airport regularly that will suffer great inconvenience and lose out the most and not the US military (they can use other airports, it would be a minor inconvenience to them!).

I would advise against this action as I have supported ye up until this, but this statement really makes me wonder do you care at all about the ordinary Irish citizens and tourists who need to use this airport and the people who are employed there, the majority I'm sure are totally against Shannon Airport being used as a stopover by the US military. Feel free to attack US military planes, mar is áil libh, Ó in ainm Dé!, do not whatever ye do try shutting down this airport!!!

Bíodh ciall agaibh, le bhur thoil!!!

Slán agus beannacht Dé oraibh!

by Johan Mon Jul 31, 2006 23:56

Explain Please below;

by Sheepstealer Mon Jul 31, 2006 23:54

I was at the protest too and I thought there were too many speeches at the beginning as well. I was astonished to hear on the march that there would be more speeches at the Central Bank, I thought there might be some Lebanese or Palestinian music or dancers, but not more fucking speeches!!! Anyway, I stayed for all the speeches and while I found all the speakers got their points across very well, there was too many of them saying more or less the same thing, but no doubt the Lebanese and Palestinian people present were deeply appreciative that so many offered their support to this event.

I think it is unfair to single out and attack Michael D. Higgins and say he had no right to be there (who are you to say who should or should not have the right to be there!!!), Michael D. Higgins has shown over many years his outrage at conditions in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank and has visited there on several occasions and I know of Palestinian people I've met here in Dublin that are deeply appreciative of his efforts. I thought his speech was excellent and full of emotion and vigour and it was crystal clear to me the depth of his concern for the Lebanese and Palestinian people and the revulsion he felt at the Israeli's attacks on them.

I am not a supporter of any of the political parties in Leinster House, but I wasn't appalled by anyone's presence, as I'm aware that this is a crisis that goes beyond party politics in Ireland and I applaud anyone that condemns Israel's outrageous attacks on the Lebanese and Palestinian people. Everyone in Ireland (regardless of their politics) had a right to be at this protest and to speak out against Israel's attacks on S. Lebanon & Palestine.

Slán agust beannacht Dé oraibh!

by Duine Mon Jul 31, 2006 14:21

Maith an grainghrafadóir sa léirsiú "Lámha ón Liobán".

Is fiú míle focal grainghraf

by David - Labour Party Mon Jul 31, 2006 14:14

The Labour Party had every right to attend that rally. Do not assume that Irish Labour is the same as British or Isreali labour because it bears the same name, SOME of the same priniples and attends the same international forums.

Firstly the labour party has been active in the anti-war movement for years. It is the largest party that calls for the closure of Shannon Airport to the Americans and leaders have already put out serious statments about this conflict.

And you have absolutly no right to say the Micheal D Higgins shouldn't be able to speak. He has been the most active and senior irish politician involved in the anti-war movement. He has travelled to the middle east and has tried to pass motions in the Dail to have planes searched at Shannon.

You seem to know very little about our party to be making such serious accusations that our "Position is not far from (our) isreali "comrades"" and that we "cheer-lead these massacres".
Further more you seem to know very little about Micheal D Higgin's stance on War and his action against it to say that he shouldn't be allowed speak.

Please Grow Some Politics,

Yours, David Murphy

Ps. Please go to the website and find Labour's real stance on the conflict

by Protester Mon Jul 31, 2006 11:53

I was on the protest. It was good. But the speeches were far too long. It was about 1 hour before we left Parnell Square. I saw a number of people leave before the march started. Even when we got marching we took a long route to the Central Bank. A couple of my friends had to leave by the end. Speakers should be limited on time. Cut out a lot of them. Most people want to hear 2 or 3 key speeches (maybe IAWM, IPSC and Joe Higgins). Have a march, and then few more at end. I was appauled by Labour's presence. I've no problem with Labour members attending in personal capacity. But they didn't have to bring IUSY flags. They were bragging of their international affiliations. Labour's sister parties are bomobing and killing civilians. Labour are in Government in Israel. The local IUSY are supporters of Zionism. They cheer-lead these Massacres. I won't start on their British comrades! irish Labour's positions is not far from their Israeli 'comrades'. M.D. Higgins supports UN doing Israel's job. Labour should have been ashamed to turn up in a party-capacity. Kieran Allen made good criticism of them and Greens. Michael D. Higgins and Ciaran Cuffe should not have been invited to speak.

by sovietpop Sun Jul 30, 2006 18:06 sovietpop at hotmail dot com

just a couple more photos ...

by Peter Doran - Green Pa;rty in Northern Ireland Sun Jul 30, 2006 17:00 info at greens-in dot org

30 July 2006: The Green Party in Northern Ireland is calling on the leaders of the main political parties here to cancel all engagements with NIO Ministers for one week, in protest at the failure of the British Labour Party to use its influence to end the terror tactics of Israel.

Dr John Barry and Kelly Andrews, co-leaders of the Green Party in Northern Ireland said: "After many years of calling on local political parties to use their influence to end terrorism in Northern Ireland, we have the spectacle of Tony Blair and his Ministers tacitly endorsing Israel's state terror response to Hezbollah's rocket attacks. "The Greens deplore all terrorist attacks and have consistently supported a radical attempt to address the underlying causes of conflict in the Middle East, notably the Palestine question.

"However, we are appalled by the spectacle of the British Labour Party's failure to name Israeli state's disproportionate and counterproductive response, which amounts to a form of state terror.

"We call on all the main parties in Northern Ireland (SDLP, Sinn Fein, Ulster Unionists and the DUP) to cancel their engagements with British Labour Ministers for one week, in protest at their hyprocrisy. After years of calling on local parties to use their influence to end terror, the Ministers in Tony Blair's Government have tacitly endorsed an unrelenting and criminal assault on the fragile State of Lebanon and its war weary people.

"We are calling for a one week boycott up until 8 August 2006, the date of an anti-war rally at Belfast City Hall."

ENDS

by Up[date Sun Jul 30, 2006 16:10

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060730/ap_on_re_mi_ea/leba...srael

by Peace Supporter Sun Jul 30, 2006 15:58

Can I encourage all everybody to go along to the National Demo called on the 23rd September ?

A positive event like this should be supported by all people who support peace in Ireland.

This is being called by 3 groups

Irish Anti War Movement
Peace and Neutrality Allience.
NGO PEACE ALLIANCE

Can I ask people from the members of the NGO Peace Alliance to tell the readers explain a little bit about their group?

You must be a major, very active Peace Organisation if you are a co sponsor of national demonstrations like this.

I am sure our readers who are interested in getting involved in antiwar activity would like to know how they can get involved with your organisation?

Also why not give us a run down of all the activities you have organised in the past 18 months to counter the shameful use of our airports by the US military?

by r whelan Sun Jul 30, 2006 14:51

Hands off Lebanon Freedom for Palestine. More images from demonstration.
images copy right 2006
Hands off Lebanon Freedom for Palestine. More images from demonstration.

by Street Reporter Sun Jul 30, 2006 13:41

Good Afternoon, it's good to be out on the streets talking to you. Rather than in Mountjoy this afternoon!

I am from the Irish diaspora! I mention this because you should never underestimate the influence of what happens in this small town on this small Ireland. Never think, that what you do here does not go beyond these shores. The Irish diaspora looks to you, is challenged by you and sometimes is diappointed with you. But we all look back here, from Australia, the U.S.A., England and the rest. The Irish diaspora was shakened and awakened by the verdivct of our jury in the Four Courts this past week.

I mention our Shannon trial at this rally today, because Shannon not only ships weapons for the U.S. to wield in Iraq but also Israel in their bombing campaigns in Palestine and now Lebanon.

I am from the pacifist Catholic Worker Movement. I say that, because an FF Senator, Brendan Daly, is calling for my immediate arrest on the basis of "incitement to violence". Brendan is disturbed by the Catholic Worker's intention to ask his governmment to demilitarise Shannon Airport by a specific date, failing that the promise that we will close down the airport with nonviolent resistance until it is demilitarised!

Brendan also wants to appeal our acquittal! Brendan makes the laws in this country, that's his job, but he knows nothing of the law! Sentencing can be appealed by the DPP, but not a jury's acquittal. Brendan, it's not like the Nice Referedum...where if you don't get the result you wanted you restage the process unitl the punters get it right!

I want to assure Brendan that we have been found not guilty of criminal activirty in carrying out our nonviolent disarmament of the U.S. war machine at Shannnon Airport. I want to assure Brendan that the only thing I wish to incite as part of the 70+ year old pacifist Cathlic Worker movement is nonviolence. I wanted to ask Brendan to have a look at the destructive war machines his government is collaborating with by servicing them at Shannon Airport. Seriously reflect how this policy threatens innocents in Iraq & Lebanon and the people of Shannon & Dublin also.

Well what happened in that hangar and in that courtroom?

3 1/2 years ago the Pit Stop PLoughshares carried out an act of conscience by nonviolently disabling a U.S. Navy War Plane at Shannon. The U.S. Navy is permanently and forwardly deployed in the Persian Gulf. From th early '90's, the U.S. Navy was central in killing over a million Iraqi kids through enforcing the genocidal sanctions. It was poised to kill a lot more Iraqi kids in "Shock & Awe"! Because the U.S. Navy is deployed so far from home they need the logisitics planes, like the one we disabled, to bring fresh sailors, computer chips, munitions to keep the planes and aircraft carriers launching bombing missions over Iraq & Afghanistan. No logistics, no bombing runs, no kid killing!

After we acted we were arrested, two government ministers (Brennan & ?) lied about us. They said in the media that we assaulted and hospitalised a Garda in the hangar. They repeated thse accusations for several days and have never publicly retracted these untruths.

To give that Garda credit, they press released 8 hours after the action stating there had not been any assault or hospitalisation. The Garda in question got on the stand three times (in three seperate trials) under oath and stated that I "had comforted him while he had a stress attack". Still these false statments by Brennan & Co. that compromised the possibility of us getting a fair trial in Ireland have never been retracted. The Irish Times then ran a lie on the front page that we had cost the Irish taxpayer $US2.5million, this also is a total fabrication. Exposed as such and no retraction from the Irish Times. They publish black propoganda to discredit us on their front page and news of our acquittal on page 4. Go figure?

Four days ago, an Irish jury spoke cearly and unanimously in acquitting us. Twelve folks randomly selected from the streets, the conscience of the community. The state, after spending millions on trying to crimihalise the PIt Sop Ploughshares, failed to convince one of the jury that nonviolent disarmamaent of the U.S. war machine should be treated as a criminal act. Their very clear message to the Dail, DC & London is that the Ahern government has no popular mandate
for its policy to transform Shannon into a gas station for the most destructive war machine to wage an immoral, illegal, invasion & occupation of Iraq. It is a clear message that the Irish people want no truck with waging war on the Iraqi people. No truck with Israel's war on the peopleof Lebanon.

Solidarity with Caoimhe Buttelry, as she journies from our community into the war on Lebanon. Solidarity with all those nonviolently resisting this war. Solidarity with the people of Lebanon & Iraq under our bombs.

by David - Labour Youth Sun Jul 30, 2006 13:28

Valid piont, i don't know myself but i'll look into it (ie. ask a more senior member of LY)

by Serge Sun Jul 30, 2006 12:30

I noticed a few flags being carried by members of Labour Youth on the march with the letters IUSY on them. These stand for the International Union of Socialist Youth, i.e. the international federation of youth sections of labour/social democratic parties. Could someone from LY let us know if the youth section of the Israeli Labour Party is a member of IUSY? Remember the leader of the Israeli LP is Amir Perez, current Minister for Defense of Israel and therefore directly responsible for the war crimes being committed under his authority in Palestine and Lebanon.

If they are members, should'nt LY called for their expulsion, in light of the fact that they belong to an organisation which not only supports these crimes but is directly involved in them. This is not an argument against having links with left/peace organisations in Israel, just that the Israeli Labour Party is directly complicit in these crimes and is not part of the 'peace camp'. This question does not just pop into my head out of thin air, because it was reported in the media that Amir Perez made a private visit to Ireland last year and met Pat Rabitte.

by gerardk Sun Jul 30, 2006 01:11

Brendan why do you ask ? I didnt submit the above thread but I do cover freelance for a local paper - If you need a photographer to cover any upcoming ipsc or pro lebannon event I would be available for that (free of course) if you like.

by Brendan K. - IPSC Sun Jul 30, 2006 00:25

What make of camera do you use, full details please?.

by richard whelan Sun Jul 30, 2006 00:20

Hands off Lebanon Demonstration Freedom for Palestine Demonstration Dublin
Photo essay
Hands off Lebanon Demonstration Freedom for palestine
images copy right 2006