99 Red Balloon Peace Event called for day of Salthill war show

galway | anti-war / imperialism | press release Wednesday June 13, 2007 13:43 by Niall Farrell - Galway Alliance Against War

Bring Your Balloons and Kites

The Galway Alliance Against War is organising a “99 Red Balloon Peace Event” at Galway’s Spanish Arch at noon on Sunday 24th June, the same day as the Salthill Air Show. Last year the Galway peace group ran a similar event, which ended in controversy when the Gardaí burst most of the red balloons. At the time the authorities claimed that the warplanes would be endangered if the balloons “collided” with them. Such claims were greeted with incredulity and the Gardaí were left with what resembled egg on their faces.

The Galway Alliance Against War is organising a “99 Red Balloon Peace Event” at Galway’s Spanish Arch at noon on Sunday 24th June, the same day as the Salthill Air Show. Last year the Galway peace group ran a similar event, which ended in controversy when the Gardaí burst most of the red balloons. At the time the authorities claimed that the warplanes would be endangered if the balloons “collided” with them. Such claims were greeted with incredulity and the Gardaí were left with what resembled egg on their faces.

The inspiration for the “99 Red Balloon Peace Event” stems from the 1980s anti-war pop song of the same name, 99 Red Balloons.
According to GAAW’s spokesperson, Niall Farrell, the peace group has no alternative but to hold an anti-war protest. “The Salthill Air Show is becoming increasingly militaristic by the year. This year the organisers of the show are even advertising on their website for “military related exhibitors”. They will have on display the latest in death technology – the Euro-fighter and the F16 fighter jets of the US air force’s Thunderbirds. All of the Thunderbird pilots have boasted of fighting in the illegal invasion and occupation of Iraq. Their website brags how both planes and pilots can be ready for combat within 72 hours and the Thunderbirds openly admit that the manoeuvres they will perform over Galway Bay are the same ones they use in combat. This may titillate the punters on the promenade in Salthill, but in other parts of the world it terrorises people. It is not family-friendly entertainment but war propaganda, a smokescreen for the devastation they cause elsewhere in the world. Should planes that kill other people’s children be fun for our children? We don’t think so.”
GAAW has also questioned the safety aspects of the air show noting that organisers’ website warns people that they will be attending at their own risk. According to the GAAW spokesperson “no warning has been given to the people living inside the city’s precincts or as far apart as Claregalway and Craughwell over whose homes these war machines will hurtle. Are they not all equally at risk?”
At the Spanish Arch event there will be music, prominent speakers and a wreath laying ceremony. A wreath will be placed in the Corrib as a mark of respect for all the people killed by the US air force in the illegal invasion and occupation of Iraq.
The Galway Alliance Against War is calling on people to bring along their own balloons and kites to Spanish Arch. Last year, the Gardaí prevented Green Party activists from flying kites at Renmore’s Ballyloughane Beach, which is situated miles away from Salthill. Plans are also well underway to send out a peace flotilla from Kinvarra and Conamara on the day of the air show.