*Ø* Bush visit: Thousands protest
"DUBLIN: Thousands of left-wing activists marched through the heart of the Irish capital yesterday to protest the arrival in the country of US President George W Bush for a brief summit with European Union chiefs.
"Rallying under the 'Stop Bush Campaign' banner, the crowd of about 10,000 waved placards and banners denouncing Bush as a warmonger and calling on facilities for US military flights to be withdrawn from Shannon Airport, a strategic refuelling point used by thousands of US troops each month ...
" ... Eamonn McCann, a veteran socialist from Northern Ireland, raised a cheer by saying that if Bush's reasons for war had been legitimate, 'he wouldn't be cowering behind rings of steel in the County of Clare. Why isn't he walking the streets of Baghdad with winsome children scattering flower-petals in his path?'
"During the march, leaders of the Green Party handed out copies of a mock set of instructions advising protesters how to make a 'citizen's arrest' of Mr Bush if they meet him.
"That prospect appeared remote - 240km west on the far coast of Ireland, more than 6000 police and soldiers mounted checkpoints and closed key roads near the summit site in the biggest security operation ever mounted in Ireland ...
"Some of the demonstrators said the police presence was heavy-handed.
"'This is a lively and colourful protest but the Garda presence is way over the top. It's security gone mad,' said Dominic Haugh, a marcher from Shannon.
"The unpopularity of Mr Bush's policies, combined with the heavy security surrounding the luxury castle, have angered many locals - particularly those nearest the resort, who have been required to collect passes from the police if they want to go to or from their homes.
"'In my recollection, the last place people had to carry passes was under apartheid in South Africa,' said Shannon resident Fiona Wheeler."
Source and full text
"DUBLIN: Thousands of left-wing activists marched through the heart of the Irish capital yesterday to protest the arrival in the country of US President George W Bush for a brief summit with European Union chiefs.
"Rallying under the 'Stop Bush Campaign' banner, the crowd of about 10,000 waved placards and banners denouncing Bush as a warmonger and calling on facilities for US military flights to be withdrawn from Shannon Airport, a strategic refuelling point used by thousands of US troops each month ...
" ... Eamonn McCann, a veteran socialist from Northern Ireland, raised a cheer by saying that if Bush's reasons for war had been legitimate, 'he wouldn't be cowering behind rings of steel in the County of Clare. Why isn't he walking the streets of Baghdad with winsome children scattering flower-petals in his path?'
"During the march, leaders of the Green Party handed out copies of a mock set of instructions advising protesters how to make a 'citizen's arrest' of Mr Bush if they meet him.
"That prospect appeared remote - 240km west on the far coast of Ireland, more than 6000 police and soldiers mounted checkpoints and closed key roads near the summit site in the biggest security operation ever mounted in Ireland ...
"Some of the demonstrators said the police presence was heavy-handed.
"'This is a lively and colourful protest but the Garda presence is way over the top. It's security gone mad,' said Dominic Haugh, a marcher from Shannon.
"The unpopularity of Mr Bush's policies, combined with the heavy security surrounding the luxury castle, have angered many locals - particularly those nearest the resort, who have been required to collect passes from the police if they want to go to or from their homes.
"'In my recollection, the last place people had to carry passes was under apartheid in South Africa,' said Shannon resident Fiona Wheeler."
Source and full text
Nora posted item above at 10:01 PM | Permalink
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home