EMERGENCY PROTEST- DEFEND SHANNON PEACE CAMP

national | miscellaneous | news report Wednesday January 08, 2003 18:58 by DB - IRISH ANTI WAR MOVEMENT

PICKET AT DEPT. OF TRANSPORT,

IRISH ANTI WAR MOVEMENT PROTESTS HARRASSMENT OF SHANNON PEACE GROUP

PICKET AT DEPT. OF TRANSPORT,
KILDARE ST,

THURSDAY 9 JAN.
1:00 - 2:00 p.m.

The Irish Anti War Movement condemned the harrassment of peace campaigners who are legitimately based at the entrance to Shannon Airport. The Irish Anti War Movement is holding a picket at the Dept. of Transport, Kildare St. on Thursday the 9th of January to protest this harrassment to Minister of Transport, Mr. Seamus Brennan, T.D.

"The harrassment of the peace campaigners sited at the entrance of Shannon is an abuse of their civil rights and this harrassment must end" said Mr. Richard Boyd Barret, chairperson of the Irish Anti War Movement. "The people of Ireland oppose the war against Iraq and they oppose the ongoing use of Shannon Airport for the refueling of U.S. war planes yet the government continues to ignore the wishes of the Irish people on this matter. The harrassment of peace campaigners is simply a further attempt
to silence the public view which is resoundly against the U.S. war on Iraq"
said Mr. Boyd Barret.

"Since the Sept. 11th bombings in the New York, the U.S. government has enacted draconian laws to silence its critics and to repress debate. The harrassment and intimidation of peace campaigners on public property in Shannon is simply the same kind of repression we have seen in the U.S. in the past year" said Ms. Mary Van Lieshout of U.S. Citizens in Ireland for Alternatives to War. "It is clear that the Irish government, like the U.S. government - is fearful of open debate on this war and has to resort to harrassment and abuse of civil liberties to maintain their position" added Ms. Van Lieshout.

"The Irish Anti War Movement supports the peace campaigners in Shannon and we will be hosting a national protest at Shannon Saturday, the 18th of January at 2:00 p.m. to condemn the use of Shannon Airport to support the U.S. war machine" said Mr. Boyd Barret.