The brutal physics of modern traffic was borne in on me in a raw way standing by the busy Navan road just north of Tara yesterday evening for an hour while the latest protest against the proposed new motorway was in progress. This is an experience you don’t get driving along in your Toyota Corolla.

"What is your name and where are you from?" a policeman asked me when I rolled down my window at a checkpoint on the Kingscourt Road out of Navan last night.

"Sean Crudden from Jenkinstown, Dundalk," I replied fearlessly.
Garda: "Where are you coming from?"
SC: "From Navan - or rather from Maynooth."
Garda: "What were you doing in Navan."
SC: "I was at a protest against the new road."
Garda: "Were you protesting?"
SC: "I wouldn’t say I was protesting exactly - but I was there,"
I said with some trepidation.
Garda: "What were you doing there then?"
SC: "I was with my son. He helped publicise the protest."

"Well I disagree strongly with the protest," the policeman opined and the atmosphere thawed.

From Elaine and Ciaran on the newswire:The point blank killing of Jean Charles de Menezes, the lack of charging or even suspension of those who killed him (1 shot to the shoulder, 7 to the head) and the New Labour rationalizations that lay a basis for more of these killings to come redefine what is considered as acceptable collateral damage in this war. Blair has decided that these Judge Dredd scenes are part of the price 'we' are willing to pay for his war on Iraq. Meanwhile, the Ahern led government has made us morally culpable in the indiscriminate killings in the U.S invasions of Iraq & Afghanistan and have of course transformed Shannon Airport, hosting 25,000 U.S. troops a month, into a soft and significant target.

The absence of a courageous and nonviolently militant anti-war movement in the imperial centres enhances a vacuum for the pathetic mimicry of the fundamentalist warriors as they bring the war home to London. Whether these attacks and the state's post-attack prepackaged scenarios of expanding police powers (they want to increase the time they can detain a suspect without charge from 14 days to 3 months) and reduced liberties lead to the death of active citizenship remains to be seen. The pressures on the Muslim community, once active in the anti-war movement, to internally migrate and depoliticize will be massive.

More Indymedia Ireland Coverage Of The Death Of De Menezes:
Police shoot man dead on London Tube. "suspicious"
Bertie Ahern says: Al-Qaeda watched 'closely' - Shannon not Al-Qaeda Fly Trap

...And Of The Pitstop Ploughshares:
Pit Stop Ploughshares Head to Oct. 24th. Trial- Update & Call for Solidarity!

While the actions of Mr Justice Joseph Finnegan hold the Nations attention as the Rossport Five remain in detention, an Indymedia favourite (Judge Mangan) was in action again last week - this time finding in favour of peace activist Conor Cregan who was charged with S. 6 of the Public Order Act. Court Reporter provides a blow-by-blow account of the action which sees contradictory Garda evidence, "Erased tapes, missing evidence, Conor's third arm, and the invisible red book", all playing their part in this courtroom drama.

From the Report:
Mr. Cregan : [reads] “On arrival I saw D. Sgt Joe O’Brien and Detective Garda Fahy struggle with Owen Rice and Conor Cregan” . How were they struggling?
Sgt Harran : Trying to hold on to them
Mr. Cregan : D. Sgt O’Brien said he was holding Mr. Rice.
Sgt Harran : I can’t say who was holding who.
Mr. Cregan : Who was holding Mr. Cregan?
Sgt Harran : I can’t say who was struggling with whom. Garda Culliton went to D.Sgt O’Brien, I went to Det. Fahy
Mr. Cregan : How long did it take you to get there?
Sgt Harran : We arrived at 1.15. It took 2 minutes to get to the scene.
Mr. Cregan : Where were you sitting?
Sgt Harran : In the back of the patrol car
.........................
Mr. Cregan: Where in the patrol car were you sitting when you arrived?
Garda Culltn: Front passenger.
Mr. Cregan: So you would have had a better view than Garda Harran in the back
Garda Culltn: Yes
Mr. Cregan: Did you talk to me
Garda Culltn: No
Mr. Cregan: . Why was there no verbal contact?
Garda Culltn: As I recall you were writing in a book as we were going the station.
Judge [to Mr. Cregan] : It’s a matter for you to decide, but this witness has not incriminated you, you don’t need to pursue this line, if it may incriminate you.
Mr. Cregan: That’s okay Judge. You say there was no struggling.
Garda Culltn: Correct

History of the Case:
Dec 8th 2003, December 11th 2003, December 12th 2003, Jan 17th 2004, Jan 17th 2004, Jan 18th 2004, Feb 13th 2004, Feb 13th 2004, Feb 17th 2004, Feb 18th 2004, Feb 23 2004, Feb 24 2004, March 1st 2004, May 22 2004

Seo thíos an ráiteas a d'eisigh Cúigear Ros Dumhach inniu in éis na hArd-Chúirte, agus a léigh an Dr Mark Garavan amach ar a son: "The freedom the Rossport 5 require is the freedom and obligation all citizens have, the freedom to use all peaceful means to protect themselves, their families and their neighbours. We are in prison because we intend to protect our lives, our families and our neighbours from potential disaster. We cannot agree to a proposal that proposes to ban us from continuing to protect our lives by opposing the Shell works. In light of recent developments, Shell's word is hardly legal tender." [Posted on behalf of: Vincent McGrath, Philip McGrath, Willie Corduff, Brendan Philbin agus Micheál Ó Seighin on July 25th / 12:58pm ]

"Since the 19th of June all deliveries of construction materials to the Sicim-Roadbridge compound at Rossport have been halted. Since the 30th of June that compound has been closed to engineers, managers, white collar workers and all other employees of Sicim and Roadbridge. The Rossport compound is the base of operations for the construction of the over land pipelines. Installation of the pipelines was due to begin on the 25th of February. It hasn't. Since the 30th of June pickets, sometimes numbering in the hundreds, have closed down the refinery construction site at Ballinaboy, which is effectively the only part of the on shore development that any work has been done on.That work has been merely the removal of peat to the peat storage facility at Srahmore. Once we get into late Autumn, due to climatic conditions, or rain in English, and geologic conditions, better known as bog, major construction work will have to cease." Right Back The Way You Came In. Again!

Dempsy Says Shell Breached Consents | A Few Days Of Struggle In North-West Mayo | Labour Demand Dail Debate | Dempsey Gets It In Glenties | SF Take It To Europe | Norway Gets The Message | Shell VS People Power

Dublin Rossport Demonstration Photos: 1 | 2 | 3
Day Of Action Photos

A group of female Nigerian asylum seekers who are all living in a direct provision hostel on Lower Gardiner Street will next Tuesday hold a joint meeting which they initiated with help from Residents Against Racism in the ATGWU hall in Dublin. In a significant first for this country, the meeting will be addressed exclusively by Nigerians seeking asylum and campaigning for fairer treatment for asylum seekers in Ireland. The speakers include FGM campaigners, womens rights campaigners, anti corruption campaigners and other political activists and they hope to communicate the reality of living in modern Nigeria.

RECENT INDYMEDIA IRELAND STORIES ON THIS ISSUE
Interview With RAR Activist Just before last Mass Deportation To Nigeria
An Illegal Deportation Takes Place
Female Asylum Seekers March From Dail To Department Of Justice: Photo Report July 14 2005
Two Nigerian Women Explain Why They Protested Deportation Regime On July 14th 2005