Warships Visit Cork To 'Celebrate Culture'

cork | anti-war / imperialism | feature Tuesday June 21, 2005 18:49 by Ray Hanrahan - Cork Anti-War Campaign

When Cork 2005 Thinks of Culture, Do They Reach For Their Guns?

The arrival of the first two of an expected six foreign warships to Cork was marked by pickets mounted by Cork Anti-War Campaign (CAWC) and also by Republican Sinn Féin (RSF). The presence of the warships to 'celebrate' Cork 2005 reflects poorly on the organisers of the Capital of Culture. The protests were there to remind them and the visiting warships that not everyone here in this city is taken in by this hogwash.

Protests took place today in Cork at the presence of two floating killing machines in the city, on a so-called 'courtesy visit' to the city to 'celebrate' the Cork 2005 Capital of Culture scam. The warships in question were from Britain and Australia, the HMS Grafton and HMAS Anzac respectively. Pickets were mounted alongside both ships in a good-natured and non-confrontational manner. Protestors from the Cork Anti-War Campaign (joined by the redoubtable Tim Hourigan) picketed the Anzac, while protestors from Republican Sinn Fein picketed the Grafton, which had docked at the Custom House, presumably to frustrate any protestor who wished to get any closer.

While the British deathship remained sullen and inactive behind the gates of the Custom House dock and nestled in the 'protective' embrace of An Garda Siochana, its Australian counterpart laid on the glad-handing and soft sell with band music and guided tours for members of the public. Needless to say none of the protestors took up this insincere offer. One supposes that a good look around and a goodie bag to go home with makes global warmongering all right then.

The Garda presence around the two ships was very visible, and once again illustrates the subservience of the Irish state to the established state terrorist order. Special Branch were there too, looking all important speaking into their mobile phones and sucking up the overtime. Some Irish army brasshat was spotted coming off the Aussie ship - could he have been receiving his orders for the coming year?

While these two obscenities were parked at the city docks this afternoon, Ireland's own mickey-mouse contribution to the global war machine, the LE Eithne, was cruising around in the harbour entertaining an motley crew of what would be represented to us peasants as 'dignitaries'. Perhaps this was one of the 30% of cultural events not accessible to the general public, as stated by Cork 2005 spokespersons in recent press statements?

Given this kind of carry-on and sucking-up to international mass murder, this casts a sinister light on what notions the Cork City Council and Cork 2005 have about culture. It looks like that this kind of state terrorism is what they aspire to. As for me, I just feel intimidated, which is what these deathships are here to do. The cynic in me thinks that if ever there is a genuine threat to the shower in power in this land, then these warships will be back, making Ireland safe for Bertie, Harney, McDowell, Willie O'Dea and their likes. They come in peace now, but they may return in the future to kill and subjugate.

These won't be the only floating platforms of mass destruction disfiguring the harbour and docks over the coming week. Warships from Germany, the Netherlands, Poland and Pakistan will join the already arrived affronts to any decent notion of culture, and underline the deepening complicity of Ireland's ruling elites in global war, exploitation and oppression. Protests will be mounted during the week while the flotilla of Death Culture assembles on the Lee. Just because Lord Mayor Sean Martin says that these floating atrocity factories are welcome does not mean that Cork's citizens want to be within range of their weapons systems.

Picket at the HMS Grafton - some welcome visitor!

Safe behind the Custom House gates, the Grafton is abandoned by its Garda 'protectors'