Solidarity demonstration by Belfast Anti-war

The case of two éirígí members who face charges related to the recent visit of British war-criminal Tony Blair to Ireland was adjourned in a Belfast court yesterday .

Cormac Ryan and Scott Masterson were arrested along with éirígí member Dominic McGlinchey during the RUC/PSNI attack on peaceful protesters at Stormont Castle on the May 8th, 2007.

Demonstrators had gathered at the Belfast venue to ensure that Blair was not lauded as a peace-maker in Ireland while his troops continue to kill with impunity in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The three activists face a string of public order and assault charges, despite the fact that no evidence has been produced to back up the RUC/PSNI claims.

The next court date for the three has been set for June 29th.

Members of the Belfast Anti-War Movement, joined by activists from other parts of the country, gathered outside the court in a show of support that was warmly received by members of the public. éirígí spokesperson Daithí Mac An Mháisitír thanked those who turned out to show support for the accused activists.

“The solidarity that the lads have received since their totally unjustified arrests has been great to see. It’s a credit to people for seeing through the RUC/PSNI spin. Cases like this one are important to win. Not least because we need to ensure the right to peaceful protest, free from the fear of assault and arrest. June 29 has been set as the next court date and we hope people will turn out in sufficient numbers to make it clear that the casual brutalisation and judicial fit-up of political activists is not acceptable.”

Staff at EU commission offices resist Occupation

"Today, a dozen activists conducted a direct action to highlight the European Union’s support for 40 years of Israeli occupation of Palestine. We tried to peacefully occupy the EU Commission’s office for 40 minutes, one minute for every year of occupation. "

In a report filed to the Neswire today, DavidL from the IPSC stated:

"The EU supports the occupier and punishes the occupied Specifically, we were protesting against EU policy of enforcing sanctions on the Palestinian people in the Occupied Territories, while offering major trade privileges to Israel, the occupying power. The Euro-Mediterranean Association Agreement offers trade and other privileges to Israel, which helps it sustain its economy and maintain its occupation of Palestine. This is despite the fact that Israel is in clear breach of the human rights clause of this agreement."

Related Links: June 9th Demo at Central Bank |

EU use gardai to end occupation (if only they were so enthusiastic about ending the occupation of Palestine) 0.21 Mb The protest continues 0.29 Mb Stop EU support of Israeli occupation 0.29 Mb

It's Majority Rule, right? So, Why The Pessimism?

PANA.ie published the results of a poll they commissioned on Irish people's views on the use of Shannon Airport. The Poll was conducted nationally by Lansdowne Market Research Ltd.

Meanwhile Ireland welcomes a new US Military Troop Carrier, Omni Air International. Retired Army Commandant Ed Horgan documented three US warplanes at Shannon for Indymedia and asks questions about Omni Air International and Bush's so-called 'surge.'

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On the afternoon of 19th March Cosantori Siochana held a wreath laying ceremony, to mark the fourth anniversary of the invasion of Iraq, at Shannon Airport. Deirdre Clancy of the Pit-Stop Ploughshares laid the wreath at the site of the old Customs Post at the Airport. The group also laid flowers with the names of several of those who lost their lives in the ill-fated war in Iraq

Deirdre spoke of the importance of keeping the focus at Shannon Airport, “We owe it to ourselves to stand up against the militarisation of Shannon Airport and future generations and to the past who stood up against imperialism in an Irish context. We owe it our fellow human being to stand up stand up for their right not to be a slaughtered.” Later she praised local activists for organising the event

Related Links: Cosantori Siochana | Anti-War Ireland | IAWM | Indymedia Anti-War Stories | Black Shamrock | Irish Peace Activist speaks at Hungarian Peace Rally | AirportWatch Wiki

The visit of Ibrahim Mussawi of Hezbullah (Lebanon) to Ireland over the past week as a guest of the Irish Anti War Movement has raised some eyebrows among anti-war activists and regular contributors to Indymedia Ireland. MichaelY from the IAWM began by outlining his organisation's position: "Perhaps the most crucial political point of them all. The IAWM is NOT a "Peace organisation" - there are, at least, 10-12 Peace organisations in this country, some of them anti-war/some of them not. The IAWM, as stated in its constitution, is an anti-imperialist organisation whose main objective is to stop the use of Shannon and other Irish facilities by the forces of the Empire, while simultaneously extending support and solidarity with those who are invaded, and those who fight against that invasion and occupation by any means at their disposal.

"It is in this context that we invited Ibrahim Mussawi and it is this context that many of us, especially the older members of the IAWM, supported the Vitenamese NLF and the Catholic inspired armed national liberation movements in Latin America. It is in this context many of us served time for being supporters of the ANC in South Africa , Frelimo in Mozambique or closer at home, the armed Irish movements. We don't see as our role to pick and choose...who is secular and who is not, who is anarchist and who is not, who is armed or not/peaceful, who is for NVDA and who for elections. Who is Gandhian and who Gramscian. Who is a Trotskyist and who Marxist Leninist. Who is a nationalist and who a republican. We support all of them...those who fight, those who resist, those who dream of a better world, those who block and protest while singing the Rosary. All of them."