Saturday was an eventful day at Shannon Airport with two protests and a strong Garda presence, protecting a newly-erected razor fence. Despite scaremongering, the Grassroots protest was peaceful, their attempt to take down the fence was unsuccessful, but participants promised to return ( 1 ) ( 2 ) ( 3 Video) ( 4 Audio) ( 5) ( 6) ( 7). There were ten arrests ( 2 Video) however accompanied by the usual over enthusiasm (Video).

The diverse IAWM protest passed off , without incident ( 2 ). Those arrested have since been released on bail, due to return on Friday March 7th. There were unconfirmed reports of a breach of runway security a few hours after the protests ended.

Post match analysis has led to some discussion and the usual arguments over the rights and wrongs of both protests. While both Shannon demonstrations were underway people also gathered in Dublin and in Donegal to voice their opposition to the war.

Video: ( 1 ) ( 2 ) ( 3 )

Arrestees: ( 1 ) ( 2 ) ( 3 )

Arguments: ( 1 ) ( 2 ) ( 3 ) ( 4 ) ( 5 ) ( 6 ) ( 7 ) ( 8 ) ( 9 ) ( 10 ) ( 11 )

Donegal

Audio

Photos ( 1 ) ( 2 ) ( 3 ) ( 4 ) ( 5 )

Comment on this Feature.

After much debate ( 2 ) ( 3 ) the Grassroots Gathering has issued a statement clarifying the direct action that is being called for the coming Saturday, March 1st..

A mass trespass is planned, with two groups involved. Those following white flags will form a line, one deep, facing the fence. The line will walk towards the fence with arms linked and, according to the statement, "once we reach the fence we will attempt to pull it down" and "remain in the grass verge on the other side of the fence." Pink flags will be used to clearly identify those who support the action but do not wish to take part.

Buses are organised from a number of locations by both the Grassroots Network and the Irish Anti-War Movement, who are organising a parallel mass peaceful protest. Legal observers are also being organised ( 2 ). However the Peace and Neutrality Alliance (PANA), the NGO Peace Alliance and AFRI have decided not to participate because of concerns about the direct action. The Greens, Sinn Féin and Labour have also not supported the action ( 2 ), although individual members of these parties will be attending. This comes amidst growing calls for direct action and civil disobedience ( 2 ) against the war from around the world. Meanwhile preparations for Saturday's action are underway and there are already reports of arrests at the airport, which US military aircraft continue to use in their buildup to war on Iraq.

Read the full Grassroots Network statement, action plan and more ( 1 ) ( 2 ) on the planned action.

Reports on previous mass trespass: ( 1 ) ( 2 ) ( 3 ) and on International direct action ( 2 ) against the war.

Discussion: ( 1 ) ( 2 ) ( 3 ) ( 4 ) ( 5 ) ( 6 ) ( 7 ) ( 8 ) ( 9 )

Comment on this Feature | Tear the Fence Down (a Poem about Love)

Other News Links... • 'Razor wire has also been stretched across part of the airport complex to deter demonstrators' - RTE Coverage • US Antiwar Activists Plan Nonviolent Blockades - Boston Globe • Ireland: Airport Shunned - NY Times (USA) • Anti-war group dismiss claims of vandalism - Online.ie • Extra security for Shannon protest to cost €1m - Examiner • Iraq starts destroying missiles - UK Independent • U.S. Diplomat's Letter of Resignation and Protest - John Brady Kiesling • Naomi Klein writes that Shannon Protests are a model of global protest. • Civil Disobedience Planned in Shannon - San Jose Mercury News (USA) US Troop Carrying Airlines That Have Pulled Out Of Shannon: North American Airlines    • Admitted CIA Connections Miami Airlines World Airlines • Gloucestershire UK Weapons Inspectors protest US B-2 Stealth Bomber deployment at Fairford USAF Base ... Shannon-style Peace Camp begins. • Ireland is a member of NATO's Partnership for Peace (PfP) initiative Other Good Sites... NoWarBlog.org WarInContext.org CommonDreams.org Comment on the Protest Breaking News... 17:22 - Protest organisers are off to local Garda station to investigate status of those arrested today - Fence not taken down as planned - mostly peaceful day with scuffles with police that led to arrests - [this will be the last update for a while, cheers!] 17:01 - NewsTalk 106 reports ten arrested at Shannon Airport - 600+ participated at the protests and has now concluded - Irish Times also reports ten arrested... 16:25 - Present scene at the airport is nearing end, nine arrested, total - one protester had her trousers pulled off by Garda during arrest, 'handled badly' 16:08 - Seven to nine (three to four are women) arrested, in total, have been arrested, mostly for blocking the Garda van - Many protesters are marching back to the Shannon Airport entrance archway.... 16:03 - NewsTalk 106 reporter contrasts GNAW to 'other peaceful alliances from around the country' - 106 says 500+ protesters - notes 'scuffles' between Gardai and protesters - also mentions of 'sniffer dogs'... 15:58 - Three more arrests (including one woman) - crowds blocking Garda van. Gardai are pulling protesters away to free the van... 15:55 - Gardai are dragging protesters away from the fence - crowds throwing red and black flags over the fence - protestors lying on the ground while others are moving further down the fence... 15:29 - AntiWar Movement stewards are moving their contingent away from the fence to avoid arrests. Other groups nearer to the fence. Gardai presence heavy. Independent Workers Union also present. 15:21 - 800-900 protestors in march, diversity of groups involved. Increased tension on the scene... 15:12 - Joe Higgins, SP - TD, is on the scene 'observing' the protest 15:08 - No violence but two arrests of protestors. Andrew Flood of Grassroots Network Against War, speaking with a megaphone, says that the protest prooves the emdia wrong about reported 'violent intentions' of the protesters and another similar protest will happen a couple weeks from today. 15:05 NewsTalk 106 says protest is peaceful at Shannon. 106 also reports that PANA's protest is over 100 at the Dept of Foreign Affairs. 14:58 - Stand off between 200-300 protestors and Garda. Five Garda on horses, many in riot gear near entrance of airport. 14:42 - NewsTalk 106 reports over a 100 now at Dept of Foreign Affairs 14:22 - 700-800 in the car park. 200-300 have left going up the road with heavy Gardai presence. 14:05 - NewsTalk 106 reports 300-400 have assembled at Shannon Airport and 30 are holding a vigil at the Dept of Foreign Affairs in Dublin 14:00 - Busses of protesters going to Shannon have been stopped and searched by Garda 10:00 - Report from Shannon Airport area of busloads of Garda, helicopter overhead, approximately six Irish Army trucks spotted and Garda stopping cars on roads and asking drivers questions.

Irish activist and former Member of Parliament, Bernadette Devlin McAliskey was detained by immigration officials in Chicago, February 21, and denied entry into the United States allegedly on "national security" grounds.

According to her daughter, Deirdre, two INS officers threatened to arrest, jail, and even shoot the legendary civil rights campaigner when she arrived at Chicago's O'Hare airport. McAliskey (56) was then photographed, finger-printed and returned to Ireland against her will on the grounds that the State Department had declared that she "poses a serious threat to the security of the United States."

Coverage from Chicago IMC IMC-Ireland The Blanket
Chicago IMC Radio: Eyewitness Account from Deidre McAliskey

Comment on this feature

Following the spectacular success of last November's European Social Forum in Florence, attended by over 60,000 people, a group of individuals representing a cross-section of Irish civil society is holding meetings with a view to establishing an Irish Social Forum later this year.

The Social Forum movement involves the establishment of open meeting places for groups and movements of civil society opposed to neo-liberalism and seeking to build a planetary society centred on the human person and not on capital. It began with the World Social Forum held in Porto Alegre, Brazil in 2001 where a Charter of Principles was agreed.

Although not without its critics, the Social Forum movement has grown dramatically in the past two years and there are now regional, national and local forums around the world.

Movement towards an Irish Social Forum began following the return of Irish participants ( 2 ) in the Florence ESF. A reporting meeting was held at which the need for an Irish Social Forum was identified. This has since been followed by three further meetings ( 1 ) ( 2 ) ( 3 ), called 'open space dialogues' at which the idea has been explored and discussed. It is intended to continue these meetings and to hold an information event at this year's convergence festival. The goal is to involve as many civil society groups as possible before fully discussing, agreeing and formally establishing an Irish Social Forum in the summer.

So far individuals from (but not necessairly representing) the following groups have participated: Attac, Anti-Iraqi Sanctions, Canals Community Network, Comhlamh, Debt and Development Coalition, Dublin Council of Trade Unions, Dublin Food Co-Op, Dublin South FM, Earthwatch Ireland, Earth Summit Ireland, Feasta, Globalise Resistance, Gluaiseacht, Grassroots Gathering, Green Party, The ICTU, Indymedia, Jesuit Faith & Justice Committee, Latin America Solidarity Centre, Oxfam, Socialist Party, Socialist Workers Party, Sustainable Ireland, Trócaire, UCG Ecosoc, The Village, Workers Solidarity Movement,

Comment on this Feature