Ken Mayers and Tarak Kauff, aged 82 and 77 respectively, are both former soldiers in the US army, and now members of Veterans for Peace. They were arrested at Shannon Airport on 17th March this year for protesting its continued use by the American military. They were held in Limerick prison for 12 days having been charged with trespassing and damaging a security fence. The case is still awaiting to come to trial and Ken and Tarak have been forced to stay in Ireland after, scandalously, their passports were confiscated. However, they continue to take part in other anti-war protests against American militarism and to campaign for Irish neutrality. They are now undertaking a ‘Walk for Freedom’ which started in Limerick and will end in Malin Head, Donegal.
The US Veterans, along with Niall Farrell (Galway Alliance Against War) and Barry Sweeney (World Beyond War) having completed the section of the walk from Limerick to Galway, held a public meeting in Eyre Square with speakers including the local independent TD Catherine Connolly. They are now making their way to Malin Head in Donegal which is due to be completed on September 27th.
See this short video for information on the walk:
Published by Alastair Kneale, DOI Celtic League (22nd September, 2019)
