Peace activist explains anti-war spray-painting action

national | miscellaneous | news report Sunday September 08, 2002 18:29 by Eoin Dubsky - Refueling Peace info at refuelingpeace dot org 087-6941060

Symbolic disarmament spray-painting U.S. warplane in Shannon Airport

If you have been following the news in Ireland in the past few days then you're probably aware (tired of hearing?) that I entered Shannon Airport and painted peace slogans and signs on a US Air Force "Hercules" KC-130 warplane parked there, then phoned the airport and asked them to pick me up on Wednesday morning, 4 September.

You've probably gathered that I am trying to disrupt U.S. military refueling at the airport, and highlight the issue of America's so-called "war on terrorism". I also intend to use my opportunity in court to put Ireland's participation in the so-called "war on terrorism" on trial, which I believe is illegal and deeply immoral.

This action was part of the 'Refueling Peace' project: a direct action campaign to monitor and stop US military flights refueling in Ireland.

"As global citizens we will endeavour to monitor and stop US military refueling in Ireland. We will expose details of US military planes stopping-over here. We will openly, accountably, safely and peacefully disrupt these operations, which are mostly at Shannon airport." -- From the Refueling Peace 'Invitation to Join' on our homepage (http://www.refuelingpeace.org).

Tim Hourigan, who was also arrested, has been doing most of the meticulous monitoring of US military flights at Shannon Airport close to Limerick city. His "rough guide" to spotting military flights (some of them are on "civilian aircraft"!) is available on our website.

What I painted: I had terrible trouble with the flourescent red spray-paint... most of it came out in blobs!
Still I did get to write "NO WAR" and draw two large peace (CND) symbols on the US Air Force "Hercules" KC-130, which is a mid-air refueling plane which can be used though for troop/cargo transport or dropping "daisy-cutter" bombs even. I sprayed paint on one of the windscreens too (pilot can't take off until that is removed). Finally -- just before I reviewed my work and called airport security -- I affixed the prefix "DIS" in red paint to the stencil-writing beside the door that read "ARMAMENT:".

I'd like to thank especially everyone from Trident Ploughshares and people who have taken part in other ploughshares actions -- you have inspired me to work on this campaign and do the action on Wednesday. I'm also most grateful to everyone who has been kind enough to get in touch and support me.

For almost a year I have been campaigning against the so-called "war on terrorism", and Ireland's participation therein in every way that I could. Following months of preparation, and with the prospect of a huge war on Iraq immanent, I entered the airport and painted the US military plane as a small symbolic act of disarmament. It was a truly life-affirming experience, and I hope to it continues this way when I'm in court next at Shannon District Court on 10 October at 11am.