Slow Sad March to Shannon Airport has commenced from Lidl Supermarket in Shannon Town

by TXX O BXXXX Sun Mar 30, 2003 16:55

The marchers have reached a barrier and a line of Gardai 150 meters or so from where the peace camp was located. Police have arranged it so traffic will not be disrupted. The police behind barrier have a loudhailer but are not saying anything as yet to the protesters. A Coffin with the words 'Irish Neutrality RIP' is what the Gardai are seeing being held on shoulders across the barrier. Crowd is singing We Shall Overcome. Media are there RTE TV Camera, Agency photographer (Press 22)

Protesters have joined hands and raised them in the air.

300 Gardai at the scene, Dogs, Mounted Unit and 7+ Paddywagons. 2 Superintendents. Chief Superintendent and another more senior unidentified Garda Figure also present.

Sombre Atmosphere.

by TXX O BXXXX Sun Mar 30, 2003 17:21

2 Garda inspectors in police line facing protesters over a double line of crowd control barriers. A 3rd Inspector is wandering around. There is also a Superintendent in the line -
Behind the line there are a Chief superintendent and an Assistant Garda Commissioner - Bet they're embarrassed as hell as the protesters are all sitting down having their speakout - Helicopter in Action trying to drown out speeches - Tim Hourigan and Nuria from Iraq /Galway among 10 + others have been speaking to the protesters and Gardai - Songs are being sung as part of speakout

Tim issued a call for a session one week long of intensive planespotting/monitoring at the airport.

by TXX O BXXXX Sun Mar 30, 2003 18:31

The Protest has been wrapped up. 4 women (Including Nuria Dunne and Caoimhe Butterly) carried the coffin up to the police cordon and double line of Barriers before the end and asked to be allowed to bring it through to the terminal. They were stonewalled. Three men then approached the police line - sat down - one covered mouth - one covered eyes and one covered ears in a silent message to the assembled ranks of Gardai.Hear No Evil. See No Evil. Speak no Evil.

The rest of the protesters encircled them and the protesters looking for a grave to bury Irish Neutrality sang a song and quietly went on their way.

by Bored Sun Mar 30, 2003 23:28

Funny, but I thought GNAW was all about direct action. Isn't that supposed to be its point of difference with the IAWM? Where is it here? Very symbolic and everything (particularly if you're wired up about 'neutrality') but this ain't DA.

Aw sure, never mind, I reckon this was worth doing anyway. Pressure on all points!

by Confused person Sun Mar 30, 2003 23:49

I thought it was supposed to take 4 hours from town centre to airport? Fuck it, ye really zipped along didn't ye. Fast fucking funeral.

by Slarti Mon Mar 31, 2003 00:59

It was supposed to take hours from the Archway up to the terminal building. Since the cops stopped us getting to the archway, we weren't walking for as long as we had anticipated. New tactics on their part - previous demos have gone up to the terminal. Also, the sheer quantity of rank on display among the Gardai was something else. Anyone would think they were worried or something...

by Josh Mon Mar 31, 2003 01:03

Hey Slarti, believe me they weren't worried. By what? 100 protesters? No, they were ensuring that the Yanks got the message - Ireland is onside. Fuckers.

by Adam - GNAW - personal capacity Mon Mar 31, 2003 01:10

Reply to "Bored":
GNAW is all about stopping the war. Yes, we think DA is needed as part of the campaign to acheive that. There are differences in approach between us and the IAWM (that we are more disposed towards DA and that we organise in a non-heirarcial manner rather than delegating decisions to a central committee being the main two) but our main objective is to stop the war (or at least Ireland's part in it), not to demonstrate the differences between us and the IAWM.

The action today was a form of DA adapted in the light of circumstances on the ground into a very empowering and inclusive action. I think the police response demonstrated that the Powers That Were are running scared and it's down to all of us (whether a member of a specific group or not) to keep the pressure up. This is going to be a very long war (it's not going to end in Iraq) and I do think we can win before it's over.

by Slarti Mon Mar 31, 2003 01:21

...if they weren't worried, Josh, then why have three times as many police as protesters, why have 3 Inspectors, a Superintendent, a Chief Super and an Assistant Commissioner, the Garda helicopter, the army helicopter, etc.

No, they wouldn't be worried by this one protest in isolation. They're worried because people are waking up and starting to stand up to what's happening. THe Peace House is only a handful of people with binoculars and notebooks. None of them have ever damaged a plane or threatened a Garda. All they've done is tell people that there's US troops and munitions going through Shannon - and do it in such a way as the government couldn't deny it any longer. Yet they've been subject to an immense ammount of harrassment recently - requiring very large resources - which must have originated at a very senior level.

They're worried because they can see themselves loosing. They're worried because they can't get their heads around a movement which says life is more important than profit. They're worried because we look like we're going to keep the pressure up and they can't afford (either politically or financially) to let that happen.

We have to keep going, keep growing, keep building. We have to keep being imaginative, active and very determined. And we have to win eventually. It's a matter of life and death. It IS as simple as that.

by Josh Mon Mar 31, 2003 02:27

Jesus Slairti, lay off the speeches, will ya? Talk about banging on! Look, i've already said why i think the gardai were there in big numbers - to impress the Yanks - and i still reckon that's the case. i'm sure u felt well empowered at shannon but don't get carried away. it was a small protest (tiny compared with the march in Dublin) and, while worthwhile, it hardly caused them any bother. Fucks sake, it would have taken them two seconds to clear the road if they were so minded.

by v a c c u m Mon Mar 31, 2003 03:05

How much does an assistant commissioner get for overtime in 2003 I wonder?

by A rational observer Mon Mar 31, 2003 03:20

This stuff about how much it costs the State is stupid (excuse my gratuitious insult). The amount is pennies compared to general government expenditure, and anyway they are quite willing to shell out loads of money on some things. After all, since the IRA ceasefire, they must be saving huge amounts previously spent on border security and Special Branch snooping. Is anybody seriously suggesting that the IRA could have 'won' against the Brits or Free State by forcing their expenditure up? The government here spent endless millions combating the 'subversive threat' and the pennies spent on Shannon security is a pitance compared with that. They will spend the money and the cost won't be of huge consequence to them.

Target the government not the guards!!

by Idiot Spotter Mon Mar 31, 2003 09:43

Feeling guilty?

by Badman Mon Mar 31, 2003 11:24

target the warplanes, not recruits.

by Roll Over Beethoven Mon Mar 31, 2003 12:25

Just for the music lovers out there, the music played during the funeral for Irish neutrality was the march from "Funeral Music for Queen Mary" by Henry Purcell (1695) - Queen Mary being the wife of, wait for it..... William of Orange!

Never mind all that, it was very suitable and sombre music and helped create the atmosphere.

Other music played at the barrier included more modern stuff by Pete Seeger including:-

"If I had a Hammer" - (Dedicated to Mary Kelly and the Catholic Workers)

"We Shall Overcome"

"This Land is Our Land"

"Which Side are You On"

by Tim Mon Mar 31, 2003 16:05

Wow.