Pitstop Ploughshares back in Court

dublin | anti-war / imperialism | press release Sunday November 02, 2003 17:51 by Pitstop Ploughshares - Pitstop Ploughshares pitstopplougshares at yahoo dot co dot uk 086 151 2013

On Monday, November 3rd, the five Catholic Workers, otherwise known as the 'Pitstop Ploughshares', are back in the Dublin Circuit Court for a pre-trial hearing. The five - Karen Fallon, Nuin Dunlop, Deirdre Clancy, Ciaron O'Reilly and Damien Moran - disarmed a US naval plane at Shannon Airport last February and are facing up to ten years in prison on charges of causing approximately 2.5 million Euros worth of damage to the plane. The five claim that they acted on the Hebrew Scriptural imperative to 'beat swords into ploughshares.'

According to Deirdre Clancy of the Pitstop Ploughshares: “It is becoming ever more apparent that the invasion and ongoing occupation of Iraq is creating a nightmare security situation for ordinary Iraqis, as the country increasingly descends into violence and civilian casualties increase by the day. In addition, the prompt rebuilding of the country promised by the coalition forces after the initial bombardment was over has failed to materialise, and instead the Iraqi population is left wondering why there is no access to basic necessities such as clean water, electricity and food.”

The five will meet at 9am tomorrow morning at the Spire in O'Connell Street, and hold a vigil for the casualties of this bombardment and of the ongoing occupation. They will be joined by Liam O'Maonlai of the Hothouse Flowers; Iraqi peace activist Nuria Mustafa and other members of the Iraqi community; Japanese Buddhist nun and peace activist Maruta and many other fellow peace activists. They will then proceed to the Four Courts for their pre-trial hearing, accompanied by these supporters. After this, there will be a music session at The Cobblestone in Smithfield.

Many groups will be holding vigils in solidarity with the Pitstop Ploughshares five tomorrow. Solidarity action will be held in Dublin (Top Oil Station), Galway (Top Oil Station), Derry, Shannon Airport, Sydney, Melbourne (Irish Consul), Washington DC (Irish Embassy), London (Irish Embassy), Auckland (Irish Consul) and Seattle (where an activist will hold the Office of the Dead in a church).

For further information, see www.irishploughshares.org
Phone: Ciaron O’Reilly: Mobile/cell +353 (0)87 918 4552