Protest Bush, Despite Government clampdown"

clare | anti-war / imperialism | press release

Thursday June 10, 2004 15:36

by Tim Hourigan - MAMA/ Anti War Ireland

Anti War protestors claim Government is violating their rights to protest Bush.
At a meeting later today in Limerick, peace activists opposed to the visit of George W. Bush to Ireland will argue that the government is yet again breaking the law by restricting their right to peaceful protest at Shannon and Dromoland.

President Bush arrives in Ireland at 8pm Friday 25th June and will attend a summit at Dromoland castle on Saturday morning before flying out to a NATO meeting.

The Garda have informed people that there will be roadblocks and checkpoints around the area covering over 40 square miles of County Clare from Shannon to Dromoland and over as far as Cratloe and six mile bridge. Movement within this area will be restricted.

Spokesperson Tim Hourigan said, "this is a disgraceful day for Ireland. A big chunk of our country is closed to Irish citizens, while the roads are closed off to facilitate a man who has killed more innocent people than Osama bin Laden."

People are being told to expect roadblocks and checkpoints along a 17 miles stretch of the Limerick to Ennis Road. They are told to expect 2 hour delays at the roadblocks. this is nothing to do with security, and everything to do with keeping protest away from the TV cameras. George Bush will be sealed into the airport and Dromoland by thousands of armed security. Keeping people back at Bunratty makes no sense. Askeaton, across the river in Co. Limerick is closer to the airport than Bunratty is.

The government has already torn up articles 28 and 29 of the Irish Constitution which require us to remain neutral in war, now they are tearing up article 40 of the Constitution as well as the European Convention on Human Rights, which was only passed in the Dail 6 months ago.

Article 40 of the constitution guarantees liberty for the exercise of the rights to freely express their convictions, to assemble peaceably and without arms and prohibits any restriction of these rights based on political grounds.

"I was at a public meeting in Shannon on Tuesday and many of the locals were spitting blood at being asked to fill out security questionnaires about their family and being told they cannot enter their own town or drive without a pass.

Some locals compared it to South Africa in Apartheid that they were being treated like criminals and prevented from showing their opposition to Bush's visit. We will not give up our rights so easily. We will protest Bush when he comes, and we will not allow politicians to tell us we cannot enter a town in our own country to do it."

MAMA and Anti War Ireland intend to protest in Limerick on Sat 19th, and at Shannon Town Centre on Friday 25th and Saturday 26th June. they invite all people interested in peaceful opposition to attend.

They will be holding a public meeting to organise this tonight, June 10th at Halla Ide at 8pm.

Notes.

Article 40.6
1. The State guarantees liberty for the exercise of the following rights,
subject to public order and morality:
(i) The right of the citizens to express freely their convictions and
opinions.
(ii) The right of the citizens to assemble peaceably and without arms.
Provision may be made by law to prevent or control meetings
which are determined in accordance with law to be calculated to
cause a breach of the peace or to be a danger or nuisance to the
general public and to prevent or control meetings in the vicinity
of either House of the Oireachtas.
2. Laws regulating the manner in which the right of forming associations and unions and the right of free assembly may be exercised shall contain no political, religious or class discrimination.