"Sleep Shall Neither Night nor Day Hang Upon His Penthouse Lid; He Shall Live a Man Forbid: Weary"

national | anti-war / imperialism | feature Monday May 31, 2004 22:54 by Indymedia Ireland Editorial Group - Indymedia Ireland

'When Shall We Three Meet Again' sez wag 'Dublin or Shannon? Thunder? Lightning? Rain?'

Plans are breaking out like a sudden summer heat rash for protests to mark the visit to Ireland in late June of possibly the most unpopular individual on the Globe - GW Bush.

He is expected in Ireland on the 25th/26th June for an EU/US Summit which will take place in County Clare. By then he will have visited Italy in early June and hopefully by the end of that visit the US Public will have had an opportunity to realise how far down the toilet this man has dragged the reputation of the USA. Up to a million protesters are expected in Rome to greet his arrival despite the usual hysterical scaremongering coming from Berlusconi and his mob.

Nationwide protests calling for 'troops out of Iraq' planned for the 26th and 27th June will also greet him as he arrives back in the USA from his short visit to the West of Ireland. These protests will take place in a country in which public dissent is under a sustained and unprecedented attack from the Republican Administration.

Ireland is in a unique position in all of this. It is traditionally friendly territory for US presidents. A large majority of the population do not want Bush here at all. He happens to be arriving in Shannon Airport - a place that symbolises Irish Government complicity in the illegal invasion and occupation of Iraq - where the rubber literally hits the road. All the ingredients are in place for a massive series of protests in the Global spotlight. The whole World WILL be watching. What's more there is no sign so far of any Mayday-style orchestrated state/media moral panic campaign to put a dampener on protests. A once in a lifetime opportunity is there for the taking.

So what is planned? This is where the problems seem to arise. So many things are planned that it is all a little confusing at first glance for the uninitiated. So in the interests of clarity here is a full breakdown of events which have been planned so far that we at IMC IRL are aware of. Please add details of events not covered in the comments below this feature and we will add them in.

SATURDAY 19TH JUNE
AMBUSH 'Warm-up' Protests in Dublin, Cork, Galway and Belfast
IAWM 'When Bush Comes To Shove' Concert at Point Depot featuring Christy Moore and Damien Rice
Bikes against Bush - Critical Mass Cycle Ride leaves Dublin for Clare

THURSDAY 24TH JUNE
Shannon Peace Camp Opens

FRIDAY 25TH JUNE
IAWM STOP BUSH Demonstration: Dublin: 7pm: Regional Demonstrations in Galway, Waterford, Tralee and Sligo: Also 7pm
Reclaim the Skies with Light and Noise: Anti War Ireland Protest: Shannon Town Centre: 7pm
BushWalk for Fun and Peace Begins: Lahinch to Dromoland

SATURDAY 26TH JUNE
Bush Off and Don't Come Back: Ambush/AWI March on Shannon Warport: Assemble at Bunratty Castle: 12 noon
IAWM Demonstration & March: Assemble Dromoland Castle: March to Shannon: 9-10am

OTHER RELEVANT LINKS:
Anti-War Ireland Bulletin
Bikes against Bush Public Meeting
Rialto Anti War Group Screening / Stop Bush Campaign Launch
Shannon Security Update