Galway - Event Notice
Thursday January 01 1970

99 Red Balloon Peace Event

galway | anti-war / imperialism | event notice

Friday June 15, 2007 00:54

by Galway Alliance Against War - Galway Alliance Against War

Not The Salthill War Show

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 War Show. The Galway peace group is calling on people not only to attend, but to bring along their own balloons and kites.

At a similar event organised by GAAW last year, the Gardaí deemed the red balloons to be offensive weapons. One brave Garda Inspector took the heroic step of bursting the said deadly weapons. Would-be terrorists please note: a helium-filled red balloon (it must be red) can down a multi-million dollar warplane no bother - obvioulsy nobody told Saddam Hussein.
And kites too are more dangerous than you would imagine. Last year, the Gardaí sensibly stepped in to prevent the flying of kites at a Green Party event miles away from the war show. Apparently this very issue almost scuppered coalition talks between FF and GP. In the end the Green Party relented. For this reason GAAW is inviting all avid anti-war kiteflyers (card carrying members of the Greens included) to attend its event at the Spanish Arch.
Apart from all these deadly weapons, there will be deadly music - including the best traditional musicians in the country - and some (but very few) deadly speakers.
GAAW events always draw a great crowd from Galway, but this year there is an invitation to all you nasty lovers of peace.
For those who don't suffer from seasickness and have a seaworthy vessel - steps are underway to send a peace flotilla out onto Galway Bay.
An interesting footnote to last year's balloon-bursting fiasco. The Gardaí used the Navigation Act to carry out this dangerous enterprise (event tho' they couldn't refer to the relevant section) BUT the very same Act could be employed to search the CIA express to Guantanamo - sick?

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Comments (5 of 5)

OK then

by the singing sofa

Fri Jun 15, 2007 10:41

How come you lot never come up to Dublin and protest outside the chinese embassy. You know the ones who supply weapons to loads of nasty little conflicts arounf the globe? Hey what about a protest about the war-mongering of the repressive Iranian regime? Is it cos you're a bunch of hypocrites?

maybe its because...

by sofa sobad

Mon Jun 18, 2007 04:33

This particular affront is happening outside our doors in galway.

I'm certain I speak for the members of GAAW when i say that all members in this group are against war in all its forms.

Speaking of "how comes", how come you only mention china and iran in relation to arms dealing?.

Why not lobby our own government about lax irish law on arms dealing.

Then much closer than china or iran, there is the Uk who pay saudi princes millions so they will buy british warplanes.

And the culprits BAE have premises on irish soil. Send them your grievances while you are letter writing (yeah right!)

Or the russians who trade fish from the central african lakes for arms so poverty stricken people have one extra thing to worry them.

But i'm sure you wouldn't mind talking about the russians, would you. You probably just forgot to mention them.

Like the "pro-lifers" who never attend anti-war marches. very selective in your criticisms. very suspect too.

Protest outside the chinese embassy?

by Coilín

Fri Jun 22, 2007 14:10

"How come you lot never come up to Dublin and protest outside the chinese embassy?"

At least three reasons:
1. China hasn't invaded any other country recently.
2. China is not trafficking thousands of troops in uniform through Shannon airport.
3. China is not driving its economy to the brink by wasting hundreds of billions of dollars on military activities.

In contrast, it is largely because of our very close, friendly relationship with the people of the United States that we so frequently and conspicuously protest against the aggressive military interventions of that country. We would like to intervene to prevent the death or injury of thousands more of America's finest young men and women in futile wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Also, we would like to prevent the current, twice unelected president from driving his country to bankruptcy.

Best,
Coilín.

Do it yourself?

Fri Jun 22, 2007 14:41

By the way, how come you don't call a demo outside the Chinese embassy yourself? "You know the ones who supply weapons to loads of nasty little conflicts arounf the globe?"
Chinese Embassy in Ireland
Address: 40 AILESBURY ROAD, DUBLIN 4, IRELAND

Or the Iranian embassy, since you feel so strongly about it:
Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran
72 Mount Merrion Ave., Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland

Maybe it's because you don't really care too much about the victims of warfare around the world. Maybe you prefer to sit on your sofa and sing? Admittedly, that is a lot easier than organising a demo, but it's a bit hypocritical.

Best,
Coilín.

Bring some red balloons to the sponsors

Fri Jun 22, 2007 19:20

A list of sponsors for the air show can be found here:
http://www.salthillairshow.com/sponsors.html

Some of these offer good opportunities to bring a peaceful protest to the sponsors over the weekend, e.g. the hotels and restaurants, which will presumably be open during the event.

Best of luck with it!
Coilín.

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99 Red Balloon Peace Event

Comments (5 of 5)