The regular monthly peace vigil at Shannon Airport staged by protesters from ‘Shannonwatch’ who oppose the blatant abuse of Irish neutrality by the US military who use the Airport was hardly a boisterous affair,
Approximately 20 demonstrators assembled and staged a quiet entirely peaceful protest. However this show of restraint was obviously to much for members of the Irish Police out in force to oversee the demonstration who proceeded to harass those present in the most petty way.
This from Shannonwatch:
“On Sunday it seemed like the Gardai were either under instruction to harass and intimidate peace activists, or else there was a collective anger about something amongst them. The cause of this anger might be our constant reminders that they are failing to do their duty when they turn a blind eye to the warplanes, rendition aircraft and war criminals that pass through Shannon. Or it might be down to the Americans giving them a hard time about the attention their use of the airport is attracting.
“Sixteen consecutive years of peaceful demonstration and direct non violent action is hard to ignore, especially when it could lead to a change in a country’s support for war.
“Or perhaps the anger is because the rank and file Gardai really don’t want to be doing what they’re told to do by Garda management. Perhaps they are angry at being instructed to undermine peaceful opposition to a policy that has already resulted in untold suffering and loss of life. The number of Iraqi deaths due to the US invasion which Shannon Airport supported is estimated to be over 1.4 million. Countless rendition flights have gone through the airport. Weapons have been seen on board US military planes despite government claims that they are unarmed. And not a single attempt has been made by the Gardai to inspect these planes.”
Full report here:
http://www.shannonwatch.org/…/peaceful-protest-and-states-h…
Image: Looking for trouble – not the protesters the Police!
Bernard Moffatt
pp Celtic League Military Monitoring
09/10/17