Republican News · Thursday 15 August 2002

Warplane refuelling protest at Shannon Airport

Hundreds of protesters will converge at a national demonstration, organised by the Cork Peace Alliance, at Shannon Airport this Saturday 17 August, to protest the use of the airport as a refuelling base for US warplanes.

Cork Peace Alliance spokesperson Jennifer Moore said: "We are deeply disturbed by the fact that Bertie Ahern has given Bush unqualified support for the so-called "war on terror" and has allowed Shannon to be used as a refuelling stop for US warplanes on their way to bomb the people of Afghanistan. The Irish government has absolutely no democratic mandate for making this decision. People in Ireland have not been consulted in any way. The demonstration called for Shannon Airport on Saturday affords us the opportunity to make our voices heard on this issue. It gives us a chance to show that there are Irish people who are not willing to stand idly by while our democratic rights are trampled on and people in some of the poorest countries in the world are butchered in our names. We hope to get groups representing all parts of Ireland at this Saturday's protest."

The alliance has invited "anyone who is against Bush and Blair's war on the people of Afghanistan and Iraq and anyone who objects to the fact that our 'Irish neutrality' has been totally compromised without the consent of the Irish people" to join them at Shannon Airport.

On Saturday, there will be a car pool meeting point in Cork beside the Opera House at 10am and transport will be available for those who have no way of getting to Shannon. There will also be a meeting point in Shannon by the sheltered bus stop nearest the airport at 1:30pm Saturday afternoon. All are invited to attend.