Protest against Ryanair & Haider

national | miscellaneous | news report Thursday June 27, 2002 16:51 by clinton

The Anti-Nazi league {ANL) is to hold a protest outside Ryanair's offices in Dublin today over the airline's continuing links with a leading Austrian right-wing politician.

The Anti-Nazi league {ANL) is to hold a protest outside Ryanair's offices in Dublin today over the airline's continuing links with a leading Austrian right-wing politician.

Mr Jorg Haider, former leader of the Freedom Party, is hosting a press conference in London today to promote Ryanair’s service from London to Klagenfurt in Austria.

A major demonstration is taking place in London but a sympathy protest has also been organized in Dublin.

SIPTU president Mr Des Geraghty and Senator David Norris are expected to speak at the protest on the Conyngham Road.

Senator Norris accused Ryanair of being "very cavalier" in its association with political extremists such as Mr Haider. He added that Ryanair cannot disassociate itself from politics just so that it can have the cheapest air flights.

The ANL is calling on Ryanair to sever its links with the politician. According to the ANL, Mr Haider is "an unrepentant Nazi". He once described Hitler’s concentration camps as "punishment camps" and praised the Nazi leader's policies as "orderly". He also publicly expressed admiration for Waffen SS veterans.

The Freedom Party has run openly racist campaigns against immigrants and asylum-seekers and espouses draconian law and order policies.

Ryanair were unwilling to comment on the protest today.

Mr Haider stepped down as leader of the Freedom Party in February, 2000, following EU pressure over the party's Government partnership with the conservative People's Party.

Mr Haider denied that the diplomatic freeze by Austria's EU partners prompted his move and said he was not leaving politics. But international pressure on the government exposed Mr Haider as a political pariah who was damaging Austria's reputation abroad.