Lessons learned for Bush visit protests

national | anti-war / imperialism | opinion/analysis

Sunday May 09, 2004 22:08

by Fintan Lane - Anti-War Ireland

info at antiwarireland dot org

087 1258325

Unpublished article on May Day events

[The following article was submitted to the Irish Times last Wednesday. The paper decided against publishing it.]

Lessons learned for the Bush visit protests

By Fintan Lane

The anti-EU demonstration on the Navan Road last Saturday evening was instructive in many ways. I attended to give expression in a tangible manner to my dissatisfaction at the current direction of the EU, in particular its tendency towards militarism and its shoddy treatment of immigrants, not to mention the direct participation of a number of member States in the US-led invasion of Iraq. In my opinion, Ireland has questions to answer in all these areas and my participation was also, and unabashedly, an expression of anti-government sentiment. I was exercising my democratic right to articulate dissent through peaceful protest.

I also attended because, as an organiser of the protest scheduled to greet George W. Bush when he lands at Shannon Airport on June 25th, I was curious to observe how the Garda behaved in the wake of much shrill speculation in the media, and elsewhere, regarding the expected participation of ‘anti-globalisation’ activists from outside the State. The Garda Commissioner had predicted the arrival of several hundred troublemakers, mainly from Britain, while some elements of the tabloid press repeatedly forecast serious mayhem.

So, with non-violent intent and a desire to make my voice heard, I joined more than 2,000 people of like-mind outside the GPO at 6pm last Saturday and we made our way towards the Phoenix Park via a circuitous route that eventually brought us to the Navan Road. A formidable Garda operation, involving thousands of gardai, had swung into action earlier in the day and the quays were effectively closed off, thus necessitating this lengthy detour across the north of the city. It was a good-humoured procession and diverse in composition. Nobody seemed particularly discommoded by the long trudge.

A heavy Garda presence was noticeable from the outset and as we approached the edge of the Phoenix Park we found our way blocked by lines of yellow-jacketed police. At this stage a small group at the front, acting in a spirit of non-violent civil disobedience, decided to push against the Garda lines to indicate, in a symbolic way, their displeasure at the curtailment of our right to protest. The Garda resisted. As this was happening, a stick, a few crumpled beer cans, and, apparently, a bottle were hurled in the direction of the gardai by no more than three or four individuals standing well back from front line.

This was the cue for a well-planned and professionally executed Garda action. The yellow-jacketed gardai were replaced instantly by lines of riot police and a water cannon was wheeled forward. Almost immediately the hoses began to soak marchers indiscriminately and over the subsequent hour or two the gardai deployed standard anti-riot techniques in a professional and disciplined manner, effectively dispersing many of the demonstrators and driving the remainder back as far as O’Connell Street.

It was a set-piece anti-riot manoeuvre by the gardai, complete with feigned baton charges and copious use of the water cannon. In fact, all that was missing was the riot. There was no riot. And it is this that concerns me. The Garda last Saturday dispersed a largely peaceful and good-humoured demonstration, soaking many people, including myself, in the process. Why?

Well, in truth it was difficult not to feel practised on. Yes, some empty beer cans and other items were thrown at gardai, but by no more than half-a-dozen isolated individuals – and not 20 or more as reported in some quarters - and in other circumstances these people would have been arrested and simply carted off. There was no confrontational or menacing attitude emanating from the crowd and leading members of the Dublin Grassroots Network (DGN), the main organisers, intervened to calm down belligerent individuals. Subsequent media coverage included photographs of one or two people kicking riot shields, but these were singular events.

What happened before and during the Navan Road demonstration is worrying in the lead-up to the Bush visit for two principal reasons.

First, the negative attitude towards protesters who come from outside the State is likely to be repeated prior to the anti-Bush protests. In truth, this indicates an odd refusal to accept the international nature of these issues. Why shouldn’t French, German and British citizens come to Dublin to join in protests against the direction of the EU? Likewise, why shouldn’t some of those millions across Europe and beyond who have marched against the war on Iraq come to Ireland to continue their protest against the warmongering of the Bush administration? As it happens, Anti-War Ireland, a national alliance of anti-war groups, will be explicitly asking people from outside the State to come to Shannon on the evening of Friday, June 25th to ‘unwelcome’ President Bush as he arrives on Irish soil. Do these concerned citizens of the world now run the risk of being caricatured as ‘foreign troublemakers’?

Secondly, non-violent anti-war demonstrations at Shannon Airport have always met with a strong Garda presence. Anti-War Ireland plans a peaceful demonstration on June 25th, but so too did DGN last Saturday and the right to protest was literally washed from the streets of our capital city. Was this a dry – or wet – run for the Bush visit? Should peaceful demonstrators expect more of the same on June 25th and 26th when they raise their voices against the scourge of war and imperialism?

One thing is certain: the Government does not want large-scale protests during the Bush visit and there will be a massive security operation. Moreover, a campaign of scaremongering about ‘foreign anarchists’ and other malcontents is almost certainly on the cards. And, with last Saturday in mind, I’ll be bringing my umbrella to Shannon, sunny day or not.

[Dr Fintan Lane is a historian and convenor of Anti-War Ireland, a national alliance of anti-war groups.]

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Comments (7 of 7)

pleasently surprised

by pc

Mon May 10, 2004 00:02

at the reaction of the media to aftermath of mayda particularily in the sunday tribune one guys whole articel is about the ridiculous refusal of bail by the judge and quick nixxing of that.... that judge really did us favour ....

im sure the media will soon forget and turn back to accuses us of being terrorists but thete ya go, a trial run for them a learning run for us

Remember Regans Visit

by Francis P

Mon May 10, 2004 13:15

During the Regan visit in the 80's the protests that got most attention were the ones held in Dublin, starting if i remember correctly at the Garden of Rememberance. I Cant remember if there were any protesters down at Ballyporeen. Anyway my point is that you would probably get more people at a dublin protest and more coverage, also, if the Gardai send their canons and riot squads down to Shannon then they cant try to turn a peaceful protest in dublin into some sort of violent confrontation.
Surely a dignified protest in Dublin against bush is more desireable than allowing some idiots to hijack the few hundred activists who would show up at shannon?
Just a suggestion, BTW, i'm not a member of any political group .

Well, actually

by Ordinary Joe

Mon May 10, 2004 13:23

There were big numbers down at Ballyporeen and it got huge huge publicity. Shannon is the place to be on Friday 25th June because that's where the warmonger will be.

What's the point of being hundreds of miles away? Support the Anti-War Ireland demo.

Saying hello to Bush

by Joan

Tue May 11, 2004 03:55

I don't know how people can continue to argue the merits (cos there are none) of having an anti-Bush march in Dublin when he's actually in County Clare. It makes no sense. Shannon is patently the place to be. I don't know why there is even a question mark over this. Weird.

Oh and Good article Fintan. No surprise the Conservative Times decided not to publish it.

Lesson learned

by kokomero

Tue May 11, 2004 10:16

The lesson learned should be that in terms of disruptive protest there is no point in confronting the police and American Secret Service head-on in Shannon.

A better strategy would be to disrupt the activities of the Bush administrations multi-national backers, many of whom are located in Shannon (Avocent, Intel, Element Six, Lufthansa Technik, Enterasys, Mentor Graphics, GE, Molex, Gymboree, RSA Security, Halifax, Thermo King) and Limerick (Dell, Analog Devices etc. http://www.idaireland.com/locations/pdf/Limerick.pdf
).

Disruption could be as simple as blocking the entrance to an industrial estate or a car-convoy on a go-slow in such an industrial estate.

In the latter case I'm not sure the cops can do much about it for instance if each car is looking for a company to which to deliver a letter of protest but is not sure where in the industrial estate that company is.

Many of these estates already have chaotic traffic at rush hour so it would not require a major protest to achieve a massive productivity hit for these companies some of which ex. GE are suppliers to the American military.

http://www.idaireland.com/locations/pdf/Limerick.pdf

a protest in cars

Thu May 13, 2004 19:31

doh paradox there

but blocades arn't a bad idea but they could be turned in conflicts easily by guards

Yeah, good piece

by Rob

Tue May 18, 2004 20:33

Nice analysis. It did feel like the cops were just practising.

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Lessons learned for Bush visit protests

Comments (7 of 7)