99 Red Balloon Peace Event

galway | anti-war / imperialism | event notice Friday June 15, 2007 00:54 by Galway Alliance Against War - Galway Alliance Against War

Not The Salthill War Show

The Galway Alliance Against War is organising a “99 Red Balloon Peace Event” at Galway’s Spanish Arch at noon on Sunday 24th June, the same day as the Salthill War Show. The Galway peace group is calling on people not only to attend, but to bring along their own balloons and kites.

At a similar event organised by GAAW last year, the Gardaí deemed the red balloons to be offensive weapons. One brave Garda Inspector took the heroic step of bursting the said deadly weapons. Would-be terrorists please note: a helium-filled red balloon (it must be red) can down a multi-million dollar warplane no bother - obvioulsy nobody told Saddam Hussein.
And kites too are more dangerous than you would imagine. Last year, the Gardaí sensibly stepped in to prevent the flying of kites at a Green Party event miles away from the war show. Apparently this very issue almost scuppered coalition talks between FF and GP. In the end the Green Party relented. For this reason GAAW is inviting all avid anti-war kiteflyers (card carrying members of the Greens included) to attend its event at the Spanish Arch.
Apart from all these deadly weapons, there will be deadly music - including the best traditional musicians in the country - and some (but very few) deadly speakers.
GAAW events always draw a great crowd from Galway, but this year there is an invitation to all you nasty lovers of peace.
For those who don't suffer from seasickness and have a seaworthy vessel - steps are underway to send a peace flotilla out onto Galway Bay.
An interesting footnote to last year's balloon-bursting fiasco. The Gardaí used the Navigation Act to carry out this dangerous enterprise (event tho' they couldn't refer to the relevant section) BUT the very same Act could be employed to search the CIA express to Guantanamo - sick?