Large Anti-War/Shannon Demo in Dublin
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news report 
Saturday March 29, 2003 20:33
by Paul Cummins
chewy at redbrick dot dcu dot ie
I guess 40,000 turned up
A large demo was held in Dublin. Organised by the IAWN NGO AND PANA.
It started at 3 with speeches and songs at Parnell Sq. The area wasn't as crowded as the 15th of February but it reminded me of that day with people of types reaching down to O'Connell Str.
It was strangely quiet people worried and expected more NVDA. It slowly marched towards the government buildings this time more banners, more kids, more fun and more anger.
A sign was burnt outside the Dail gates as the vocal socialist groups shouted slogans. The police didn't over react to any of this.
I waited (for 20 mins) and watched as the rest of the march walked past. People from everyone grouping some noticeable with large banners and speakers phones. But just as many with no particular allegiance.
The demo was quite short. It finished outside the Dail with more speakers on a stage and PA system.
The NVDA people like Eoin Dubsky and Mary Kelly received applause for their words but not from Ruira Quinn and many others clapped cautiously.
A great quote was read out from the Nuremberg trials which a great recommendation for the legitimacy of direct action (insert quote).
Ruairi Quinn spoke and encouraged his audience to protest and vocalise to their local politicians. Through his speech a man shouted hypocrite.
It finished with an empassioned and very sensible speech from a member of the Irish-Muslim community. Who spoke directly to Bertie Ahern to listen to the people.
Photos to follow
Comments (4 of 4)
Jump To Comment: 1 2 3 4'Ordinary' people concerned with their mortgage and corporate job and pastel-coloured sofas find 'direct action' frightening and abhorant, even if they oppose the war. They are allergic to conflict of any kind. It turns them off.
But non-violent direct action does work. Therefore, those using this tactic should follow the example of Mary Kelly and the Ploughshares five. Do your action on your own, directly, without associating in any way with the many thousands of 'ordinary' people.
There is no such thing as an "ordinary" person. I am continually delighted at just how extraordinary people can be.
Todays walk about town served to show up the IAWM, PANA, NGO as grossly ineffective. We have walked to empty buildings and heard empty speeches over and over again. Do we honestly believe that talking about this war will stop it? These playful anti war/pro peace protests have become fun days out for the liberal middle classes, a day for all the family. We complain about direct action??? It will turn people away??? How do you equate the deaths of thousands of innocent Arabs to a bit of paint on a building, a plane having it's nose damaged? We have lost sight of what the ultimate goal of this movement should be: stopping this war! Actions speak louder than words rings through my head. Can we take ourselves seriously if we trapse about the city centre one more time to hear yet more recycled speeches from hypocritical TD's, IAWM speakers who have lost themselves in a movement and little children! I witnessed today the way that parties which may have been considered far left becoming nothing more than Labour party spin offs. The Sparts are the only crazies left. A re-read of Lenin's 'Left Wing Communism: An Infantile Disorder' may be required though? The Socialist party ever more sectarian, constantly introducing themselves as 'Socialist Party, Joe Higgins TD'!!!! The Socialist Workers' Party the vibrant, angry anti capitalists, supposed vanguard of the working class afraid to engage in the mass civil disobedience that they so love to preach! The Labour Party always compromising with those in government, and of course loving peace and no type of direct action in any shape or form thank you very much! Sinn Fein 'Tiocfaidh Ar La'? Wake up lads preaching socialism and then becoming part of a policing board therefore becoming an intricate part of the state?!? And all you various anarchists out there. The Audio Terrorists against the war, Workers' Solidarity Movement, Idiot man with the megaphone. We will not dance this war away. It is not a game. You guys don't even smash up stuff like your brothers and sisters are doing right now throughout the world! What kind of anarchists are you and don't tell me that stuff is happening at Shannon? Do we want to stop this war or do we want to become professional protestors and have nice family days out in the city centre? If you really wanted to stop the war and stop Fianna Fail/PD collaboration in this war then you would realise that the current state that the protests in this country are pointless. You may as well not bother coming! Do you think that this government is listening to you? I know what I got out of the march today: absolutely nothing (that's me chanting about how great the march was). I predict the death of the anti war movement in this country if this unorganised, unprofessional, pointless marching continues.
Omar Ahmed has said it all, the swp are too busy cozying up to the labour party to care about having no effect whatsoever on stopping the war. It was poetic justice that many people booed Ho Chi Quinn, even the swp fakes dont have that much time for an even more fake socialist that they are.
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