What To Do About 'anarchist menace' Corporate Journalists?

international | summit mobilisations | opinion/analysis Tuesday March 23, 2004 14:05 by Peter Sutherland's Nemesis

SundayMirror 'Eire Edition' cultivates climate of acceptability of state repression of demonstrators

"Garda Inspector Ray McHugh revealed the gardai are being advised by police forces around the globe on how to beat the [May 1st]anarchist menace." - KEN MURRAY Sunday Mirror, March 21, 2004.
I wonder is it possible that someone (!) who has the time to work with the Indymedia Collective Editorial Team could assign themselves the task of collecting the names and 'journalism' of outrageous anti-democratic no-research-necessary corporate-nonsense journalists for the purpose of inviting them to a debate in public on the theme of Journalism And Democracy.

The reason I ask this is that if the climate of fear and violence that the likes of this Sunday Mirror article generates is allowed to go uncontested in the public arena [other than on this site] then it increases the chances of us ending up with people being shot dead by the state Gothenburg and Genoa style.

In this context this article [reprinted in full below because the Irish edition has no web version to link to] strongly suggests that the 'anarchist menace', with the help of Indymedia users, will wreck havoc and violence on Dublin on May 1st and because of the public relations disaster of Mayday RTS 2002, then the Guards will not be able to clamp down as hard as they would like to and should. This dishonest and anti-democratic analysis contrasts dramatically with the National Union of Journalists piece [weblink reposted here: http://www.nuj.org.uk/inner.php?docid=260&PHPSESSID=3c4ac8a4c3391d543dbf28d4e8274de5 ] which condemns the Garda Riot of Mayday '02 and lambastes the Gardai for attacking and arresting and charging one of THEIR NUJ card carrying journalists. The NUJ makes the point that "Without a media presence it is likely that the shameful episode would have been swept under the carpet and the claims of the protestors discredited. "

Anyway, let us please try to think of ways to bring these 'journalists' like Murray out into the open, to stand in public and to debate and stand over their 'journalism' -- to look the pubic in the eye and answer the accusation that their 'journalism' ends up making it publicly acceptable and more likely that the state 'security' forces will attack peaceful protestors and criminalise the global justice movement.

********************************

Sunday Mirror, March 21, 2004, Sunday, SECTION: Eire Edition; NEWS.

HEADLINE: THE COPS WILL HAVE THEIR WORK CUT OUT FOR THEM. MAY DAY IS OURS;
EXCLUSIVE ANARCHISTS PLAN TO BRING ANTI-GLOBALISATION MAYHEM TO
BYLINE: KEN MURRAY
HIGHLIGHT:
ZURICH 2002; GENOA 2001; PRAGUE 2000; SEATTLE 1999; LONDON 2001

BODY:
THE Government fears anti-globalisation activists will turn May Day in Dublin into MAYHEM.
More than 10,000 anarchists from across the globe will descend on the capital to protest against EU enlargement on May 1st.
The vicious thugs chose Dublin for their annual May Day protest because Ireland holds the EU presidency.
But Government insiders fear the protests will end in mass violence and rioting - and admit they are almost POWERLESS to stop it.
Today the Irish Sunday Mirror exclusively reveals the issue has been brought up at Cabinet meetings to try to find a solution to the fears of May Day madness.
One Cabinet minister revealed he fears the riots will destroy Ireland's international image at the height of the EU presidency.

He said: "It's been brought to our attention that a network of anarchists opposed to globalisation are communicating with each other and are planning a hostile protest in Dublin to mark what could be the proudest day in Europe since the end of World War Two in 1945.
"In fact, I'm surprised the media haven't made a bigger issue of this before now."
The source added: "Our fear is that we could be overwhelmed by the number of protestors coming in.
"The last time there was anything like this was during Republican protests at the British Embassy during the hunger strikes more than 20 years ago.
"But this threatens to be much larger. We are monitoring the situation closely."

Taoiseach Bertie Ahern plans to use May 1 as an official "Day of Welcomes" to welcome the 10 new states joining the EU.
The leaders of the 25 EU nations will be in Dublin on May 1 - the first time the heads of all the member states will meet face to face.
A Government spokesman said: "The 25 different heads of state will be in Dublin on that day.
"The celebrations will start in Farmleigh House in the Phoenix Park and later they will be going to Aras an Uachtaran for the official signing of the new enlargement proclimation."
MAY 1 is traditionally celebrated around the world as workers' day.
The Dublin Council of Trade Unions agreed to cancel its annual march in honour of the Day of Welcome - but anti-globalisation groups refused.

Instead they plan to hijack the celebrations with massive protest marches Government insiders fear will erupt into violence and chaos.
One chilling message left on activist website www.indymedia.ie vows the protests will go ahead - whether the Government likes it or not.
It said: "So what if Bertie et al are having a knees up in Dublin castle, that is their f***ing problem.
"It is May Day and the workers are entitled to a protest. I say f*** the scab leaders, they are not the trade union movement, we are!
"We are having our May Day demo regardless if Begg, O'Flaherty and the other FF scabs are there or not."
Hundreds of websites have sprung up dedicated to planning the protest - and begging foreign activists to take part.

One site, www.geocities.com/eufortress even offers to find accommodation for visiting members. It said: "We have set up a contact email address for accommodation.
"If you or your group are intending on coming to Ireland for May Day or during the EU presidency then please get in touch as soon as possible.
"We are inviting all people who share our ideas and beliefs to come to Ireland during the six month presidency of the EU and help us in our struggle against capitalism.
"We are inviting people from all over Europe and the World to join us in Dublin on May Day to show our leaders that their agenda for EU integration, driven by the wealthy and powerful will face resistance."
UK anarchists are planning a mass invasion of Dublin for the Mayday riots.
A British group suspected of having links with Kurdish terrorists in Turkey uses its web site to drum up support.
The website, www.wombles.org, asks followers to travel to Dublin.
It said: "Let's come together and create a total resistance against the de-humanising nothingness of capitalist society.
"Let's go to Dublin on May Day."
Another British-based website echoes the same chilling message.
It said: "We see Dublin as an important step to galvanise the movements against capitalist globalisation, against the permanent global war of capital and state institutions of the working class, unemployed and peasants."

OTHER web activists openly admit they plan to use violence against the Gardai.
Sick thugs on Irish website www.indymedia.ie boasted of their plans to attack Garda officers.
One said: "Ha, ha, bring it on! The cops are gonna have their work cut out for them - May Day is ours!"
Another calling himself "garda" demanded readers pelt fellow officers with cans of booze. He said: "Bring it on and make sure if you're going to throw stuff at us it's something interesting and not cans of Dutch Gold."
Hundreds of sites have sprung up offering advice on how to fight the police.
Anarchist website www.radio4.org/ aia/act even tells protestors the best way to throw missiles to ensure they do maximum damage to gardai.
It said: "If you want to throw do it defensively, strategically and en mass - a constant hail of debris creates 'sterile areas' into which the police don't want to go, thus keeping them at arms length."

The site has a section on de-arresting, telling users the best way to wrestle captured comrades away from arresting officers.
It said: "The best time to do this is as soon as the snatch has happened. You need a group who know how to break grips and some people to act as blockers.
"Once you've got your person back all link arms and move off into the crowd, the police may try to snatch back or arrest one of the de-arresters."
Garda Inspector Ray McHugh revealed the gardai are being advised by police forces around the globe on how to beat the anarchist menace.
He insisted proper plans are in place to ensure the marches pass off peacefully.
He said: "Gardai work closely with their colleagues throughout Europe and the rest of the World via Europol and Interpol.
"All intelligence reports are shared and thoroughly evaluated as part of an ongoing process.
"We will be putting in place an operation for upcoming events commensurate with the perceived policing requirements as they exist at the particular time."

But our Government source claimed gardai will be forced to treat protestors with kid gloves.
He said: "The Gardai suffered PR damage some years back when the Reclaim the Streets march went horribly wrong."
ANGRY business leaders slammed the protestors for planning to destroy Ireland's good name at the height of the EU presidency.
Dublin Chamber of Commerce boss Declan Martin said May 1 is an opportunity to sell Ireland to the world and stressed that the events on the day must run without a hitch.
He said: "We need to project a very positive image of Dublin to a worldwide audience.
"If the images that go around the World on global TV show Dublin as a place where the Gardai are doing battle with anti globalisation protestors, it will damage Ireland's image."
But socialist TD Joe Higgins insists the protests will be peacefull. He said: "Should any small minority attempt to provoke a violent clash, it would be counter-productive."
Tens of millions of dollars in damage was caused when anti-globalisation protestors fought with riot police and wrecked properties during 'The Battle of Seattle' in the US at the World Trade Organisation talks in December 1999.
Nine months later 5,000 anti-globalisation protestors fired petrol bombs and cobblestones in a major violent riot in the Czech capital Prague close to the Summit of the International Monetary Fund.
Tear gas and water cannon were used to force back a breakaway group of activists that attempted to reach the summit venue.

Protestors struck again in July 2001 causing further costly damage when they rioted with Italian Police in Genoa during a G8 Summit of the richest Nations in the World.

******************************************
http://www.nuj.org.uk/inner.php?docid=260&PHPSESSID=3c4ac8a4c3391d543dbf28d4e8274de5

NUJ alarm at attack on photographer

The NUJ in Ireland
May 9 2002

The NUJ in Ireland is to seek a meeting with senior Garda management in the wake of the assault on an Irish Independent photographer last Monday.

The union also wants the Garda Siochana covered by the Freedom of Information Act.

NUJ member Stephen Humphreys was assaulted by Gardai while taking photographs at a Reclaim the Street protest in Dublin. He has been charged with public order offences, which he will vigorously contest. He is being supported by his employer, Independent News and Media.

NUJ Irish Secretary Eoin Ronayne said: "The NUJ is deeply disturbed by the treatment of Mr Humphreys. This was an appalling attack, which strikes at the core of democracy. It is indeed fortunate that journalists and photographers were present on Monday to witness the unacceptable behaviour of some Gardai.

"Without a media presence it is likely that the shameful episode would have been swept under the carpet and the claims of the protestors discredited. "

Eoin Ronayne said the union has been concerned for some time at the disregard shown by some members of the Garda Siochana to journalists presenting the NUJ Press Card. "It is vital that the integrity of the card be respected," he said.

Mary Maher, Cathaoirleach (chair) of the Irish Executive Council, said it was ironic that three days after World Press Freedom Day working journalists should find themselves attacked by people charged with protecting democracy. "Those involved in Monday’s attack on peaceful protestors do no credit to their colleagues and bring shame on the force," she said.

Irish Organiser Seamus Dooley said the NUJ has been campaigning for some time to have the Garda Siochana brought within the remit of the Freedom of Information Act and recent developments strengthened the case for extending the Act.

"Law abiding gardai have nothing to fear from such a move. The Army is covered by the Act and this has posed no threat to the security of the State. A transparent, accountable police force would be in the interest of all citizens," he said.
********************************