Update on security measures at Shannon for the Bush Visit

national | anti-war / imperialism | news report

Friday May 14, 2004 14:06

by Dominic Haugh - Shannon Socialist Party

Security measures continue to be intensified as the visit of George W. Bush approaches.
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Gardai continue to visit the residents of Shannon, requesting the names and ages of those living in each house, asking residents to supply the names of any expected visitors to the town on the weekend of the Bush visit, as well as taking vehicle information. It has been reported in the local media that residents are being advised that they are not obliged to give this information but the Gardai are also cautioning people that if they refuse to cooperate then they may not be issued with a pass for ease of access to their homes during the Bush visit.

Checkpoints are now a regular occurrence in the vicinity of Shannon. It has been confirmed that over the May bank holiday weekend access through all roads to Shannon could only occur by passing through a checkpoint.

A dry run on security at Dromoland Castle was carried recently when a European Youth Conference was held there. The security presence during the conference was regarded as way out of proportion to the scale of the event.

It is also reported that the US military will monitor air traffic from E-3 Sentry AWAC aircraft which apparently have the ability to track up to 600 aircraft at one time while monitoring a radius of 250 miles around Shannon. It also appears that the Air Corps will operate an air exclusion zone around Dromoland Castle for the duration of the Bush visit.

It now appears clear that the intention of the security forces is to prevent access to Shannon from the main Limerick to Ennis dual-carriage way and to operate a very tight security cordon around Shannon and Dromoland.

There is widespread anger and opposition to these security measures building in the town. Local Radio has had to deal with the issue on a regular basis. Many people resent the implication that all the people of Shannon are being treated as a security threat. Many local politicians have made public statements criticising these measures, clearing as a result of the growing pressure from residents in the town.

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Comments (9 of 9)

questions is

by pc

Fri May 14, 2004 15:23

who they blaming, when phoenix park was closed from what i heard most blamed the supposed rampaging anarchist mob... when i beleived that not matter what any groups would have done that weekend the phoenix park was probably closed becuase of the supposed al quada threat....
the result is that same a spreading of fear and tension im just wondering who the people of shannon etc are looking to for answers

Phoneix park

by Andrew

Fri May 14, 2004 15:38

I live by the park (and inside the Mayday exclusion zone). I leafletted door to door throughout the area in the run up to the protests over several nights and a good few people from my estate saw me at the head of the march up the Navan road. I've not yet had anyone blame me for the park being shut and even on Joe Duffy most seemed to put the blame were it belonged, on the government.

I guess some politicans tried to spin things the other way (like the Labour party counciller on the Navan road quoted in the Northside People) but I don't think many were fooled.

didn't you go to hogworts?

by jeudi

Fri May 14, 2004 15:46

:-) I think i remember you on the mesoamerica cashcrops seminar.

Info

by Conor - Shannon Peace House

Fri May 14, 2004 16:19

As i am just reading this thread on a pc in the local libary in Shannon a Gard just came and handed a form to libarians and told them to fill in the names addresses and car regs of all the staff working here around the Bush visit. This form was taken with out question and I am sure will be filled out promtly.

Who's in what house in Shannon?

by Fiona

Sat May 15, 2004 02:04

Taking the names of every person in every house in Shannon has a precedent in Irish history. The Black and Tans required lists of inhabitants to be posted on the doors of houses!
At a peace march in Shannon some months ago one peace activist said that the riot police in their mishmash of uniforms, emblazoned with the word 'Police ' (not Gardai), and of course wearing no numbers, were like a Black and Tan revisitation. Little did he know how prophetic his comparison would become!

Truth and consequences

by Ciaron - Dublin Catholic Worker

Sat May 15, 2004 02:49

When you let your civilian airport become militarised, when your government sells the country into the war machine, when you host war criminals ...you begin to lose your freedoms.

Irish freedom lost a long time ago

by Hilal

Sat May 15, 2004 09:36

When the Catholic Church decided to side with the British to suppress the revolution of the United Irishmen in 1798 in order to gain a steadfast position in society as controllers for the British Elite, we lost more freedom than when the British illegally invaded us. Maynooth College was built as payment for the treachery against the Irish People in 1798.

In fenian times, and later when blessing fascists going to fight with Hitlers forces in Spain and calling Republicans and "communists" "perverts" and "satanists" the Catholic Church also sold out Ireland and it's freedom .

Hundreds of thousands of Irish people have been raped, abused, tortured and "broken" as far a death, in an Abu Gharib fashion ,by generations of paedophiles and sadists living in orphanages, convents and laundries, paid for by the very people they were oppressing.

Sure the British were bastards to come and invade and steal our goods but what of our own glorious Church that sold us out again and again. Kiss my ring, bishop Casey/Comiskey/Martin.

bush not welcome in ireland

by dunk

Sat May 15, 2004 12:53

1-rejects kyoto agreement

2-maintains trade war @ 7,000,000 people dying every year due to unfair policies of neo liberal agenda of WTO, IMF, world bank. refuses to listen to reason and challenges from ngo groups- trocaire, oxfam, concern, comhlamh

3-engages in illegal war in iraq, goes against UN- kills thousands of innocent iraqis

4- in position to bring positive change to palestine and help end mid east crisis, basis of most conflict in todays "war of terror"

5- lack of information to US public through educational, political and media networks, result= ill informed public as to why they are hated

An Bhfuil cead agam dul....

by Moonwolf

Tue Jun 01, 2004 06:04

The question that needs to be asked here is : What happens to this intelligence after it is gathered. Is the soverign government of the Republic of Ireland handing this data over to the boys at langley etc? Do Irish reidents now need U.S Homeland Security clearence to go into Limerick for the day while Bush is around?

now boys and girls, anyone wishing to leave the area please raise their hand and politely ask the nice American gentleman as gaeilge...........

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Update on security measures at Shannon for the Bush Visit

Comments (9 of 9)