As the Occupation of Iraq turns rapidly into the worst-case scenario many feared it would in the run-up to the US / UK invasion - Irish Anti-War Groups are mobilising again to AMBUSH George Bush with some potentially very public Anti-War protests - around Ireland in general and in the Shannon area in particular – when he arrives in Clare to attend the EU / US Summitt.

The Gardai meanwhile are already involved in a police operation in the area of Shannon and have been knocking on residents doors. Police also recently heavily outnumbered protesters in Cork who turned out early in the morning to greet the Republican cabinet member Tommy Thompson.

In an opinion piece (which went unpublished in the Irish Times) Fintan Lane who took part in the protest assesses the lessons of the recent Mayday protests for those planning to lay on a protest when Bush arrives in late June. While the IAWM and AWI compete for space in the media and on the ground in the run-up to the visit others discuss tactics and the value of a populist approach

Latest Security Update From Shannon
More Indymedia Anti-War news
Update: Flag pictured above removed by a person or persons unknown shortly after Gardai call!

Yet another midnight communique from Captain White and his merry mob has arrived to once again add some sparkle to the dreary unpaid lives of pale tired post-Mayday frenzy IMC hacks. The plot thickens . . . this time we leave you in the capable hands of Captain Blue.

"On October 2 1969 the then British Ambassador to Dublin, AW Gilchrist wrote to AKK 'Kevin' White in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. The letter quoted the then Proprietor of the Irish Times, Major Thomas B. McDowell, as referring to Douglas Gageby, the Editor, as a “renegade or white nigger”. This was a reference to Gageby’s coverage of “northern questions”. The letter quoted Major McDowell, a member of the Judge Advocates Department of the British Army, as asking 10 Downing Street for guidance in cancelling out the editor’s views and in eliminating “unauthorised” news items further down the chain of journalistic command. The British authorities released the letter under the ‘30 Year Rule’ in late 1999.

As he promised when he signed off the last time (Thursday, Apr 29 2004, 1:38pm) , Captain White has mobilised the intelligence corps in order to discover who suppressed publication of the “renegade.. white nigger” letter in January 2000. While the intelligence corps of most armies tries to plug information leaks, ours unplugs them. The Captain tasked me (Blue) and my team with doing whatever was necessary to get to the bottom of this matter. I wish to report that the chaps have come up trumps and have unearthed the person responsible for sitting on the British Ambassador’s October 2 1969 letter."

Captain Blue Continues his Tale Here >>

Whodunnit Background
1. “The correspondence is being destroyed” : First Part of the Whodunnit
2. Jack Lane Slams Irish Times: Letter to Madam Revealed: Second piece of the Jigsaw
3. Deep Background: Gilchrist Indonesia Ireland Dossier

Wombles Panic In Ireland Ahead of The Ashes: Poet begins laying Down Indecipherable Rules for Cricket: Dire Predictions of Millions of English Thugs Determined to Participate.
"The press will naturally organise the pre-game panic, with stories about wombles, and muppets and anarchists coming to spoil the bowling and batting.
But don't be put off.
It will be great.
hip hip hur RA!"

So it's all over and bound for legend. Tired cranky heads everywhere. So what? They tried to scare the biggest self-defined anti-authoritarian series of demonstrations and actions in recent memory off the streets with an orchestrated media/state moral panic and it did not work. That bears repeating - it did not work. They said the 'ruck at the truck' was a big riot and it wasn't. Now nobody is saying there weren't problems but it was a full on, good humoured, confrontational and effective climax to the weekend and the perfect retort to an anti-democratic Government attempting to scare it's own citizens off the streets. The RTS on Monday was the full on pinnacle of what a self-generated free party can be. Bring on the big bad Bush - the State may be cowed but the streets are alive and word travels fast - no matter what the 'Irish' rags tell you in the next few weeks just remember - 'OUR STREETS'!

***** ALL THE NEWS THAT FITS SPECIAL LAST EVER ISSUE TO CUT OUT AND KEEP: ALL THE FUN OF THE MAYDAYE FAYRE *****

From the newswire (with minor editing) While protesters were gathering in Dublin amid the clouds of fake media hysteria, 80-100 people were in the woods in Co. Clare participating in 14 different courses in environmental and ecological trades run by CELT (Centre for Environmental Living and Training).

Saturday and Sunday last, May first and second, saw this year's first Weekend In The Woods, in Bealkeally, Scarrif, County Clare. The Weekend in The Woods.

Many of same people I had seen before in various actions and protests. Here though they were to be seen learning about river ecology, native woodlands, herbal lore, wood carving, blacksmithing, coppersmithing; building yurts, wattle and daub walls; making tipis rustic furniture, baskets, long bows, dry stone walls….. Others were there just to float about and soak up the beauty and energy of the birds, plants and animals of the woods and lake.

Were you at Mayday events? Add your perspective or upload your images by clicking "Publish" or adding comments to stories on the newswire...

***EuroMayDay compilation of reports by IMC UK *** ***Live video stream from IMC Barcelona *** More *** Mayday Around The World *** Int'l reports on Irish actions

11.32 Very strong police presence on O'Connell St., but crowd is dispersing and only a handful remain at GPO. Riot squad is still visible.

11.15 Garda statements say some of those arrested are to come before special sitting at Cloverhill court tonight

10.52 March is at Dorset St., reports of a confrontational and provocative attitude being taken by police.

10.38 Crowd Now Passing the 'Joy' - 'The Rocky Road to Dublin Whack Fol al de Da'. Large group of riot police following; some emerged from vans as passed the prison.

10.35 From The Newswire: Firsthand Account of Events
EXCERPT: "When the demonstation was close to the police there was a call from the block near the front that the police were stopping the demo and people would try and continue - if anyone didn't want to take part they should move back. Some time later the block linked up and moved to push against the yellow jackets. Little was thrown at this point - some placards and cans."

10.00 RTE News Reporting 25 Arrests. Supposedly bad 'Internationals' rather than good 'Irish'

9.45 Bloc of 800 or so coming back into town en masse. First time Protesters have Gathered into a Coherent Group in an Hour. Going Down NCR. Mountjoy Direction.

9.42 Police getting Bored and Impatient: Feigning Baton Charges but not Carrying Through. Some injured people still behind Police lines

9.28 Messy Situation Developing: Horses being Used: A small group reports (unconfirmed as yet) the Gardai Attempted to Force them backwards into Horses. Slow process of pushing Crowd back the way they came. Various reports confirm that a few missiles (empty cans) from body of crowd was awnsered with a Police Baton charge. (8.40-8.55) There was NO concerted attack on Police at any stage. Riot Police 4 Deep following Slowly Retreating Crowd. Water cannon still in use

9.12 Irish television (RTÉ) showing images of riot squad and use of water cannon, reporting on unknown number of injuries and arrests: Reports from Scene say crowd are now marching back the way they came followed by Riot Squad and Cannons: Some still trapped by Police in Sidestreets. DGN legal support and Sky News both reporting 13 arrests.

9.04 Crowd Moving Back 20m or so:' Brave' People throwing stuff over heads of the frontline protesters: Report from Medic of two bad headwounds from Baton Charge: Cannon trying to walk Crowd Backwards: Snatch Squads Appearing From Sideroads according to a Medic: 'You Must Leave This Area Immediately' sez the Wag with Loudhailer: Crowd not Retreating: Police trying to force People down Side Roads

8.55 Last Warning Given: 2nd Cannon Now Deployed: Protesters sitting on Ground Taking Force of Cannons: 'Spokespeople from DGN and AEIP Pleading with Protesters to Leave. Not Working for Now

Further reports at "feature continued" link below - as it happened!

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