Anti-war Protest in Castletownbere Against USS Sullivan

by Ciaron Sat Aug 30, 2003 22:56

The kiwis chased these warships out of Aoteara/New Zealand by the early '84. Should be doable here. This visit is all about the normalisation of US military presence in Ireland. Soon to be followed by Irish troops deployed to Iraq to carry out US foreign policy. One step away from guarding US hardware at Shannon.

Check out the disarmament of USS Sulivan on www.plowsharesactions.org in the chronology section under "Prince of Peace Plowshares"

by Ciaron - Pit Stop Ploughshares Sun Aug 31, 2003 19:57

PRINCE OF PEACE PLOWSHARES: In the pre-dawn hours on Ash Wednesday, February 12, 1997, Susan Crane and Steve Kelly, S.J, of the Jubilee Plowshares West; Steve Baggarly, husband and father from the Norfolk Catholic Worker; Mark Colville, father of three from the New Haven Catholic Worker; Tom Lewis-Borbely of the Transfiguration Plowshares East; and Phil Berrigan, member of several plowshares actions, boarded the USS Sullivans, a nuclear-capable Aegis destroyer at Bath Iron Works in Maine. They hammered and poured blood on different parts of the battleship, including the Pilot House, the Bridge, the Helicopter pad, and several missile hatch covers. As they read their action statement and unfurled a banner, armed military security forcibly pushed them to the deck and placed them under arrest.
During their jury trial in US District court in Portland, ME, they were not allowed to present expert witnesses, except for Daniel Berrigan, S.J. whose testimony was restricted. When they were prevented by the Judge from speaking to the jury about the moral and legal intent of their action, they withdrew from the trial and offered a Scripture reading and prayer. Most supporters were removed from the courtroom for singing and speaking out. On May 7 they were convicted of destruction of government property and conspiracy. They were each sentenced separately—three on Oct. 27 and three on Oct. 29. They were sentenced to the following prison terms: Susan, 27 months; Phil, 24 months; Steve Kelly, 21 months; Mark, 13 months; Steve Baggarly, 11 months; and Tom, 6 months. Each was given two years supervised probation and ordered to pay $4,703.89 in restitution. They were given credit for the time they had already served. Sentences were based on their past records as well as their cooperation during the trial. On both sentencing days people were arrested for nonviolent actions at BIW.

Upon release from prison, Tom was ordered to pay restitution, which he refused to do. He was eventually given another four months in jail. Facing more substantial time in prison for failure to comply with restitution, an anonymous supporter paid Steve Baggarly’s restitution following his release from prison. Susan was ordered not to return to Jonah House upon her release because it is a place of “ongoing criminal activity.� After a period of time, she returned with the court’s consent to Jonah House. She refused to pay restitution—the court has still to respond to this. Upon his release, Phil was ordered by the court not to associate with other convicted felons, except for his wife. He also refused to pay restitution and the court has yet to take action. Mark refused to pay any restitution and the court informed him in July 2000 that it would serve no purpose to incarcerate him because his views still would not be changed. Steve Kelly refused payment of restitution and the court has yet to take action.

by Lone gunman Mon Sep 01, 2003 12:35

Get this into your collective heads.Smearing paint and hammering ona 10inch thick steel plate DOES NOT disarm a ship!You need to destroy launch controls,electronics etc.But there is then a good chance of being shot dead by on board armed security.Maybe thats why this fruitcake group just daub paint and beat hammers on a blast proof steel plates.

by Eyes open Mon Sep 01, 2003 12:51 Montrose

...links with America... five Irishmen who died... Saving Private Ryan based on this...
..don't mention the war or this ship's role in it!

pure propoganda.
sentimental tripe about a huge metal killing machine...telling us to be "loyal"...

by Alaistair Mon Sep 01, 2003 13:06

I wonder did Mary Kelly turn up, you know the woman who is PRO-WAR and proved to be when she spoke on a public platform recently supporting the terrorist so called 'armed struggle' in Northern Ireland. Read this quick before the Indymedia Censors delete it. They won't want you to read it.

by Lone gunman Tue Sep 02, 2003 14:08

Read the Sullivan act of 1943 before posting shite.
for the uninformed;the sullivan act prohibits more than two brothers serving in any one unit or branch or theatere of operations of the US armed forces. This is done to prevent entire famillies sons being wiped out.
The connection to private Ryan is the fact that both brothers were in the same area of operations.Normanday in 1944,when this was a direct contravention of the Sullivan act.
The rest of eyes post is the usual anti American drivel and taken out of context statements.

by Lone gunman Tue Sep 02, 2003 14:08

Read the Sullivan act of 1943 before posting shite.
for the uninformed;the sullivan act prohibits more than two brothers serving in any one unit or branch or theatere of operations of the US armed forces. This is done to prevent entire famillies sons being wiped out.
The connection to private Ryan is the fact that both brothers were in the same area of operations.Normanday in 1944,when this was a direct contravention of the Sullivan act.
The rest of eyes post is the usual anti American drivel and taken out of context statements.