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Ireland says 'No to War' as over 100,000 Protest national |
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news report
 Sunday February 16, 2003 02:34 by IMC Ireland
 In one of the largest demonstrations in Irish history, over 100,000 people marched in Dublin today against the Bush administration's rush to war on Iraq. Protestors from every part of Ireland representing hundreds of groups came to Dublin to voice their opposition to war and to the continued use of Shannon Airport by the US military. From opposition politicians to anarchists and Fianna-Fail-voting grannies, the crowds were diverse, cheerful, creative and peaceful as the sunshine encouraged an almost carnival atmosphere. As usual, estimates of the numbers of protestors varied widely with Gardaí reporting 80,000 participants, mainstream media reporting 100,000 and the Irish Anti-War Movement and other organisers reporting 150,000. In any event, it was clearly one of the largest demonstrations in Irish history. Smaller demonstrations were also held in cities and towns around the country, including Cork, Sligo and Belfast where over 30,000 marched against the war. The Irish protests were part of a global day of action against war that saw tens of millions of people protest worldwide.
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Comments (11 of 11)
Jump To Comment: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11Close to 300 people attended an anti-war vigil at Daunt Square in Cork city on Saturday, called by the Cork Anti-War Campaign. In fact, we had expected no more than a few dozen to attend because we had focused on maximising the numbers travelling to Dublin.
Over 120,000 people attended an anti war march yesterday on the streets of Dublin. It was easily the largest demonstration in the capital for decades. The march started at 2pm at the Garden of Remembrance at Parnell Square and snaked through the city to St Stephens Green and back to Dame Street.
There was a carnival atmosphere on the march with colour and samba bands, and due to the sheer size of the crowd, no one organisation or belief dominated. Young and old marched side by side, and also a rare sense of unity of purpose between far-left groups and catholic organisations was evident.
The next significant protest will be on March 1st on Shannon Airport. Get down there!
What does such a large protest mean? What do we do now? It is not time to "build a movement" or some other such nonsense. It means slowly encouraging people to keep up pressure at a grassroots level and they will organically drift into other important issues that they feel strongly about. Lets not indoctrinate or hassle people - let them get involved at their own pace!
...that includes the Sparts, Pax Christi, Aikido Against the War and Aoife's FF voting granny! I heard some complaining last night that the march was dominated by the middle classes...yea. So tell me about something that isn't!
I had a blast at yesterday's march. Thought it is easily the most exciting political event to have happened on this forsaken island for many years. I am only worried that turnout for March 1st demo at Shannon will not disillusion organisers. We cannot expect the same enthusiaam for this one but vastly improved numbers. Let's make it as exciting and hopefully make a symbolic gesture that day that will not descend into wails of "they'll pull out investment / how much did the damage cost? / America will hate us" in the mainstream media.
so maybe they are thinking about "Yes Peace".
let us all get them talking about Peace.
Hey Jd,
I knew I saw you there taking photos several times, and sure enough I am in one with my cousin....didn't see any of Ois though. Great site and great to see the photos, especially since RTÉ barely covered it. Did you see the sign that said "Arms are for hugs"? I was thinking an Ali-G might have been appropriate - Bush, is it cos I is Black(especially since they don't seem to stop white caucasians in their hunt fro "terrorists". I guarantee you the biggest terrorist threat felt in Ireland this time is that of the warmongers....their threat to the stability of the middle-east and therefore their threat to World Peace(although there are still many quiet wars going on such as in Bolivia and Colombia).
Anyway, great photos and lets hope that the government stops lying and saying that they are acting in our name...
On a frivolous note, has anyone noted the mainstream media's completely understandable downplaying of the this weekend's events?
On Saturday night I noted that Sky News were wrapping up (in their own inimitable way) the day's events by intercutting march scenes with a soundtrack of Rage Against the Machine?
Most broadsheets available in Dublin sported very few pages of coverage and completely uninspiring pictures.
While it might be arrogant to think that 100,000+ people marching for something as simple as peace in Dublin and elsewhere is a significant political event, and comfortably liberal of me to think that editors are awaiting the junta's response in the Dail tomorrow, could it be that many papers did not grasp the significance? I say, stop buying the Chimes, and the Sindo: news, but not in my name!
For my twopence worth on Saturday see my article on this newswire:-
http://www.indymedia.ie/cgi-bin/newswire.cgi?id=29453
T'was an incredible day indeed, but hopefully, as I expect it to be, just one of many more to come both on the impending war on Iraq and all the other horrors the world is facing. I would certainly like to see a similar worldwide rally on "Drop the Debt" in the near future. Fuk all has been done (surprise, surprise) since the "promises" that were made for the new Millennium. Meanwhile thousands upon thousands, of unknown, hidden lives (mainly children) go on dying, EVERY DAY - on account of Western banks and governments filling their already ENORMOUS bellies on the interest of these beleaguered people. Hard to believe it actually goes on. Probably just as well we can't physically witness their deaths or we would probably join them.
Anyhow, Saturday gave me some hope for the future. Let's hope it only grows from here.
I would certainly like to see a similar worldwide rally on "Drop the Debt" in the near future. Fuk all has been done (surprise, surprise) since the "promises" that were made for the new Millennium.
And what conclusions do you draw from that "Anonymous"? Are you asking for more promises? What positive effects have come from huge marches in the past? How effective is this? Have you historical (including recent) examples of the utility of marches like this? I can point you to over 30 million people protesting and STILL War looks likely. I can point you to over a year of marches and EVERY DAY Iraq is being bombed.
I can also point you to the Vietnam demonstrations and point out that it was when there were riots, mutinies and burning draft-buildings that the government finally listened.
Glad you had a great day. Now get off your complacent arse and do something.
Who says youth aren't into politics?
by Marie McHale - Irish Labour Party Wed, Feb 19 2003, 6:29pm
Some of the thousands of Labour members marching against the war in Iraq
related link: www.labour.ie
COMMENTS
A wee bit ironic
by Justin Moran - Sinn Fein Wed, Feb 19 2003, 6:43pm
[email protected]
Still, the number is about right.
And your article is where Marie?
by Phuq Hedd Wed, Feb 19 2003, 6:51pm
Editors, please remove Marie's "post" as it's nothing but a link to labour.ie's website and as such constitutes an advertisement.
Marie, you're abusing the editorial policies of this site and doing labour.ie a disservice by making that site look as though it had put you up to doing this.
I'm sure they wouldn't as they're aware of the editorial guidelines.
Question for Marie
by ex-stick Wed, Feb 19 2003, 7:00pm
First things first, it was a great demo and congrats to all who turned out, Labour members included. What we need to do now is build a mass anti-war movement which combines demos, protests etc. with non-violent direct action at Shannon and elsewhere to disrupt the war machine.
I repeat some questions that I have repeatedly posed to Labour activists on Indymedia without any serious response. Perhaps Marie you might reply.
1. Will the Labour Party continue to oppose this drive to war even if the UN Security Council gives its backing?
2. What has the Irish Labour Party done to challenge the British Labour Party's support for Bush's drive to war, through the PES and the Socialist International?
3. What forms of opposition to the war does the Labour Party support, since the Labour website only urges people to write letters or send emails to Brian Cowen?
Once again , for the record, I know that many ordinary members of Labour and a few high profile people such as Michael D. Higgins have consistently and actively opposed the war, so this is not a sectarian attack on them. What is in doubt is the sincerity of the Rabbite leadership. So any chance of the official Labour policy viz. the above questions?
What kind of politics?
by Joe M. Wed, Feb 19 2003, 7:31pm
People are pissed off conventional politics. There is no difference between the politics of Gombeen/comprador govt. of Ahern and those adovcated by the fat, middle-class, stalinist Bunny Rabbitt, and you can forget about that fifth-tit-on-a-cow F.G. led by the racist Kenny. But people are opposed too to the Anglo-American Empire, while the political elite is busy subordinating Ireland, North and South, to this hegemony. This disjunct between the 'leaders' and the led must be exploited and a real politics created. That possibility now exists. So..let the gombeens, and their ilk tremble.
Quotation from John Pilger...
by Eoin Dubsky Thu, Feb 20 2003, 12:14am
Blaming the public for its "lack of interest in politics" is the self-deluding excuse of media executives who claim an insight into the popular mood, yet are contemptuous of it. In truth, the public has never been more interested in real politics, which it does not associate with the deceptions and gossip of an elective oligarchy.
related link: redbrick.dcu.ie/~slack/
Being anti-war is one thing, being anti-american (as if we are all one person, ie Bush) is as pointless as the francophobia bouncing around the UK tabloids.
Please remember that many americans are disturbed by Bush, especially as he wasn't elected but rather appointed by the Courts. How about a little solidarity with the americans who's government is becoming more controling by the day and who's civil liberties are being eroded.
pretzels for bush!
As an American Jew who is both active in the anti-war movement and in the movement for justice for the Palestinians, I can only hope that the image of an American flag containing a Jewish star, being burned in the streets of Dublin, is not truly representative of the anti-war movement in Ireland. The Magen David or Jewish star is a symbol of Judaism, not just of the repressive government of Ariel Sharon. There are those who would like to use the anti-war movement to pursue an anti-Semitic agenda. I hope this fascist tendency is not afforded any legitimacy in Ireland.
Likewise, the American flag symbolizes all Americans, the majority of whom did not vote for George Bush Jr. and do not support his war. These are poor images to choose to represent the anti-war movement in Ireland.