VIDEO - More Mayday Madness - dont believe the Hype!

by Joe Tue Apr 20, 2004 14:04

And another secutiry correspondant who ignores the press releases he has received giving the other side to this story.

Water cannons ready for May Day

Gardai are being trained to combat street riots on EU
day of celebration

GARDAI are being trained in the use of water cannons,
which will be key weapons in the force's armoury
against rioters attempting to mar the May Day EU
celebrations in Dublin.

The courses are being held at the former Air Corps
base at Gormanston in Co Meath and scores of gardai
will be taking part over the next week.

Two water cannons have been given to the Gardai on
loan by the Police Service of Northern Ireland, where
they have been frequently deployed on the streets to
quell disturbances.

The decision by senior officers to deploy the cannons
- revealed last month in the Irish Independent - was
taken because of overseas intelligence suggesting that
troublemakers intended to target Dublin for
well-organised street protests.

But the likely strength of the international brigade
will not be known until the weekend, when contingency
plans on how to cope with likely demonstrations will
be finalised by the garda authorities.

The cancellation of an open-air concert in the centre
of the capital has resulted in a downsizing of the
number of gardai on call over the weekend. But it is
likely that around 4,000 gardai will be on duty, and
all leave and holidays for members of the force have
been cancelled.

The gardai will be backed up by 500 troops in riot
gear similar to the special suits handed out to the
gardai, and at least another 500 will be deployed in
sealing off Dublin Airport and Baldonnel airbase,
while bomb-disposal units will also be on stand-by.

The May Day operation will provide the Army with their
biggest "aid to the civil power" role in recent years.


A special detention centre will also be made available
to hold troublemakers, while arrangements are being
drawn up for court sittings over the bank holiday.

Training in public order control has also been stepped
up for the Army at the Curragh in preparation for May
Day and for potential difficulties in urban
flashpoints on overseas peacekeeping missions.

Meanwhile, the Garda Representative Association last
night criticised senior officers for planning to
deploy unarmed and uniformed colleagues on the
frontline at the protests.

The authorities intend to keep the gardai and troops
in riot gear in the background as part of a
non-confrontational approach and send them into action
only if trouble erupts.

But the GRA warned: "We firmly respect the right of
people to protest but there is little point in
subjecting officers, armed only with their uniform and
high-visibility jackets, to form a front guard before
we take affirmative action against people who have
violent, criminal intent.

"No other European country would expect this. We all
want to join in the celebration of a united Europe,
but when it is clearly suggested by all intelligence
that the people arriving on our shores are intent on
violent disorder, we should expect as a police force
that we are properly equipped and those trained in
public order should be at the forefront."

The GRA said in an editorial in its magazine, Garda
Review: "It will be too late when a garda is injured
to start thinking about other deployment measures."

In an apparent reference to the May Day violence on
Dublin streets two years ago, it added: "Let's get it
right on this occasion. Let's not leave people to be
scapegoated. But, moreover, let's not leave members of
the Garda Siochana vulnerable."

Tom Brady
Security Editor

by R. Isible Sun Apr 18, 2004 00:07

I agree with the general idea that we should use Free operating systems ( http://www.fsf.org ) such as GNU/Linux ( http://www.debian.org or http://www.redhat.com ) and just as importantly avoid formats of video/audio/text which use secret, proprietary, IP-encumbered technologies. However it _is_ possible to play WMVs. Install "xine" or "totem" or "mplayer" on your machine and then get the codecs from the URI below. You'll be able to play all sorts of stuff. It'd be nicer if people stuck to open codecs and supported http://www.xiph.org but there's very little that you can't do on a GNU/Linux box now with a bit of persistence and playing WMVs is easy.

by dont support microsoft Sat Apr 17, 2004 23:49

I dont use Microsoft windows

But you have used the windows media format

shame
shame
shame

can you put the video up as a .mpeg file which more operating systems can use

I cant play the video

you are encouraging people to support mickysoft

better to use linux anyway

thanks

by billy bragg Thu Apr 15, 2004 23:50

love the guns n roses sound track :)

by Mrs Doyle Thu Apr 15, 2004 14:39

Any chance of a QuickTime version? Ah go on!

by Aidan Thu Apr 15, 2004 12:46

Another great video, keep it up...

by . - . Wed Apr 14, 2004 23:10

.

by Starstruck - UCD Left Wed Apr 14, 2004 21:21

Nice.Yet another quality production people,Hollywood watch your back...
Particular jest in the opening caption.
Resistance is indeed fertile and with the recent developments in Iraq and Gee Dubyas alarming pledge to "change the world" last night now would be a very good time to harvest the crop of resistance.
Bring on May 1.
Damn those American liberators for not having invented time travel yet itd be nice to fast forward to the Carnival right now!