Dark Seedy Corners with Slimy Politicians - Read all about it

national | anti-war / imperialism | feature Wednesday February 22, 2006 18:23 by barry

indymedia correspondent harrassed at ogra fianna fail convention

From the video:I've made, made my comments about that during the, the Dail during the week and I said eh that Tanema Bay ... full humanitarian em rights have have to be given to all of the people in it. That's been the Irish position from the start about Gontanema the gay eh people should be eh go through the, the normal system of eh being eh ... they're entitled to the humanitarian protection and rights and the full international standards of ah Kofi Annan has announced that we all stand up to should be given to the people in Guantanemo Bay.

From the Newswire - 18/02/06: At an ogra fianna fail convention this afternoon at the West County hotel in Ennis, Co. Clare an Indymedia video activist was harrassed by Fianna Fail handlers and locked into the press room by plain clothes gardai before being prevented from further filming by a uniformed garda seargent. But he still shed some light on what our politicians are saying about Shannon, Guantamo, Renditions and all that anti-war stuff. Nothing that makes much sense.

Related Stories:While the slimy politicians hide in the dark corners of their incoherence, the newswire has had details of a candle-lit procession next Thurs, 23 February at 5.30pm and and of peace flags flying on Grafton street. The Indymedia calendar has details of an upcoming Anti War Red 'n Black Bloc but it's only by reading an analysis that we learn the red'n'black bloc won't be alone marching.

Meanwhile, the controversy about those images continues, there are Reflections on Irish Neutrality and indymedia brings you media of Tariq Ali speaking in Dublin. Because on Indymedia you can read what the politicians in their dark and seedy corners fear the most - What we won't read this week in our papers

Original Report:
Conor Cregan, video activist and peace campaigner arrived early at the West County hotel in Ennis today in anticipation of Bertie Ahern's arrival to address the conference.

With security/paranoia light, Conor was issued with an observers pass and directed to the press center...

A few hours later, with perhaps 50 people outside representing issues ranging from the need for sewage treatment in West Clare and an extension of Ennis Hospital to the Rossport/Shell to Sea campaign and opposition to US use of Shannon Airport.

As Bertie arrived, Conor was in position with his camera and some interesting questions...
(see indymedia.org link, apologies in advance for the .wmv format, a better format will be uploaded asap)

Then the Harrassment began...

Having secured the tape containing his footage he headed for the press center and when he got there found his path intersecting with Bertie's once more. This time however the security reacted more quickly, the door of the press center was shut from the outside and kept closed until Bertie was safely past. Once it was declared safe to release Conor from his pen, he was approached by a Fianna Fail handler who accused him of stealing the pass he was wearing (which had been earlier freely given). This person refused to identify himself or provide any identification. When Conor appealed to a nearby Garda seargent to identify the person harrassing him, the seargent stated that the unidentified handler was speaking on his behalf and ordered Conor to stop filming. Witnesses were called for, activists and Gardai crowded in as individual and press freedoms were debated until it was accepted that there was no grounds for anyone stopping or harassing conor and that he was there legitimately. Conor retired victorious for a nice, relaxing cup of tea to await Bertie's departure...