Bush In Ireland, again

antrim | anti-war / imperialism | opinion/analysis

Wednesday May 19, 2004 12:10

by Davy Carlin

Below is an article I am to send to the media, after posting on Indymedia. I am to do a second one in early June which will be more specific in relation to the different actions and protests being organised.

Bush In Ireland, again.

I, like many others had watched the huge media frenzy over the May Day protests in Dublin. What the media had hyped up to be possible anarchy on the streets of Dublin as thousands of anarchists made their way to Dublin, was exactly that, hype. The huge police {and also army} presence {along with the media hype} was in fact in itself a force of intimidation for those seeking to hold a peaceful protest. Such state build up and hype did in part what it had set out to do and that was to keep as many people as it could away from protesting at the European summit that they where to host.

It also had a second reason and that was to lay the ground work for the US president’s {George Bush} visit in June. Again as so to send out a message to attempt to limit protest against the brutal occupation of Iraq and other such issues that citizens are passionately opposed to or feel passionate about. Yet such actions against the democratic right of citizens to voice their protest can also be counter productive. Already several buses have been booked in Belfast alone as hundreds prepare to travel from the North to the South in late June, this to stand both against Bush’s arrival and with other citizens for their democratic right to protest, without fear and intimidation raised through such hype and frenzy. The states overhand response in the build up to Mayday has in part created a response. Trade unionists and leading campaigners from many differing campaigns will now prioritise their diaries even more so as to be at the protests may it be Shannon, Dublin or at the Summit.

Many shall travel to stand both against the brutal occupations and with citizens from around Ireland opposing Bush’s arrival. All who believe that this occupation is wrong should be urged to voice their democratic right of protest and get to the South for his visit. Davy Carlin