Brave girl but did she have to actually buy it?

On Saturday 4th September Kate O’Sullivan, an activist from the Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign (IPSC), made a citizen’s arrest on former British Prime Minister Tony Blair at a book signing in Eason’s. However the Gardaí refused to act on the arrest, preferring instead to detain Ms. O’Sullivan for half an hour in a stairwell. At the protest outside Eason’s, where over 1,000 people gathered to protest the presence of Mr Blair in Ireland, at least three arrests of peaceful protesters where carried out, including that of a secondary school student. All have subsequently been released and are due in court on 30th September.

Indymedia Links:
Hundreds protest war-criminal Tony Blair in Dublin |Blair's Dublin Book Launch735 | Galway Stop Blair Protest at Eason's | Stop Blair - Urgent Call to Action | Arrest Blair Call – When War Criminal Visits Dublin | Photo essay | Eirigi protest
Other Links:
Blair must be arrested - John Pilger (newstatesman.com) | IPSC website | WSM article with videos | Tony Blair | Iraq war |

Thousands take to Letterkenny streets to defend health services

Thousands marched to defend health services at Letterkenny hospital from going under the knife. Anger and hurt was clearly evident on the streets of Letterkenny as pensioners and workers most vulnerable to any cuts in health services brought traffic to halt.

Related Links: Harney moves to close St Luke's Cancer Hospital |No Private Hospitals – Fund our Public Hospitals | Dail passes 'close St Luke's Bill' | Vital centre faces closure | The need for a united European response of workers against the attacks

The Chief is free!!

Erris was abuzz with joy and merriment as one of her finest sons, Pat 'the Chief' O'Donnell was freed from Castlerea Prison yesterday after 158 days of Shell-decreed incarceration. He was met by an ecstatic group of well-wishers outside the prison and was piped off the prison precincts after speeches by himself, Maura Harrington, and a message of support from Luke 'Ming' Flanagan, Mayor of Roscommon County Council.

Related Links:
Indymedia:
Eirigi call for support for protesters | Beat the Boreholes launch | The Pipe - Film about the shell protest | The Pipe wins film fleadh award | Shell to sea campaigner attacked | Shell ignores the law but gets campaigners jailed | Shell to Sea campaigner Niall Harnett sentenced to 5months in jail | 27 Shell to Sea campaigners face court "special sitting" | éirígí slam Devins over Corrib gas controversy | Erris Rally of Solidarity with 'the Chief' Pat O'Donnell | Joe Higgins MEP visits 'Shell To Sea' Activist, Pat O'Donnell, In Castlera Prison | Eoin O'Leidhin - Interview | Erris Sinn Féin Councillor criticises jailing of activist | Another Shell to Sea Campaigner Imprisoned | Shell retreats as solidarity with Pat O'Donnell continues | Mary O`Donnell interview | Video: S2S Solidarity with jailed Pat o'Donnell | Audio: Shell to Sea protests against jailing of fisherman Pat O'Donnell at Shell HQ | Court Report from Mayo | Shell Corrib Gas - Who are the real Thugs & Bullies? | Pat o'donnell - "Hero and Friend" not "Bully and Thug" | Review of the week of Shell to Sea court hearings
Video:
The Release
Pat "the chief" gives 'em hell june 2009
Pat "the chief" interview june 2009
Those who dance (part1of 5) | (part 2) | (part 3) | (part 4) | (part 5)
Join the cause:
Shell to sea website | Rossport Solidarity camp website

Rain falls on the snow. The Contagion has taken hold. Ghosts from the old Dead Republic are emerging everywhere as the day of judgement approaches.

On Black Tuesday a guilt ridden political functionary runs from his job burying bodies in the city. He is tortured by voices of reproach as he journeys towards home. He recounts the history of his dealings with Fingers - a boss 'who made the old boss look like Mother Teresa'.

Meanwhile, back in the city, amid the spiraling negativity, Fingers and his acolytes lay the foundations for a new Easter Rising.

Joe Higgins MEP

Attacks on working people are mounting right across Europe. The so-called PIGS (Portugal, Ireland & Italy, Greece, Spain) countries have been to the forefront of these attacks. In Ireland, we have seen €7 billion of cutbacks, seriously damaging public services, including health and education. In Greece, there has been a 10% cut in wages and spending in the public sector, together with an increased retirement age, VAT increases and the freezing of pensions. Portugal has a plan to cut its deficit by €11bn over four years through a crisis tax on wages and cutbacks in public services. The Spanish Parliament has passed cutbacks worth €15bn on top of €50bn already agreed. Italy is due to implement "emergency-cutbacks" of €24 bn.

Related Links: Europe-Wide Week of Protest and Solidarity (Dublin)
European Days of Solidarity and Protest
http://www.joehiggins.eu/2010/05/report-from-guengl-meeting-european-days-of-solidarity-and-protest/
The initial letter (pdf file)
EU-Protest-Leaflet (pdf file)
March on June 26th as part of European Week of Protest & Solidarity