"The six month insurrection begins here!" - Anarchists perform "No Justice No Peace" street theatre

dublin | eu | news report Friday January 23, 2004 16:04 by Indymedia Kevin - IMC Éire

A short street theatre play marked the start of a series of anarchist actions for the EU presidency.

News Report and Pictures.

Getting ready in front of the Central Bank

Approximately 100 people showed up in front of the Central Bank yesterday evening at 5pm, for the first public performance of "No Justice, No Peace!", a short street theatre play, organised by the autonomous anarchists in Dublin.

The play focused on issues of State brutality in Ireland in recent years. In three acts, the play touched on the Garda assaults on Reclaim The Streets in May 2002; the McBrearty affair in Donegal; the continued use of Shannon airport by the US Military; and finally the way the State uses prison and the conditions within Mountjoy.

The crowd attempted to march onto Dame Street straight from the Central Bank but was stopped by the Garda as a motorcade (presumably one of the EU Justice Ministers) was escorted past. They marched onto the street near the Georges St junction, and attempted to walk to the gates of Dublin Castle.

There was a heavy Garda presence (roughly 100 uniformed Gardai in the vicinity, three mounted police, a helicopter flying overhead, special branch members mingling in the crowd, motorbikes and vans, and also an unconfirmed report that two vans of riot police were waiting on standby in the cobblestone street opposite Burdoch's chipper).

The Gardai prevented the marchers from getting further up Dame Street than the Parliament Street junction. An amplifier was set up on the road and the narrator announced the beginning of the play - but the Gardai then cleared the road using physical force and steel crash barriers.

One of the organisers said that they intended on having the play in the street itself, but if the performers did get pushed back, then the green opposite the Olympia theatre would be an ideal place to put the play on as a fall back.

The crowd circled around the performers, who dressed up as Gardai (with pig noses, batons, and ridiculous camp hats), Bertie Ahern, a US Soldier, and a High Court judge. Various senior Garda bristled at points during the play when they were mocked, and some of them later come up to the performers asking them why they felt it neccessary to put this on.

There was also heavy Garda surveillance in operation, with two video cameras filming the crowd. Garda Donal Corcoran was also watching the performance. It lasted approximately 20 minutes, after which the
crowd dispersed.

One Garda looks on with his baton drawn.

Bertie Ahern shakes hands with the Garda.

Gardai attempt to stop people marching on Dame Street

March proceeds up towards Dublin Castle