Dublin Anniversary of Invasion Anti-war protest, March 20, 2004
Today ~ 5,000 people turned out for the Dublin protest against the year
long occupation of Iraq. This was part of a larger global protest. It started
at 3 pm at the Garden of Remembrance, Parnell square, where speeches were
given by Michael D. Higgins (Labour), Prionsias de Rossa (Worker Party),
Joe Higgins (Socialist Party TD) etc.
The crowd then moved down O'Connell St, by the spire, over O'Connell
bridge, d'Olier St, Westmoreland St, Nassau St, Kildare St (where the stopped
at the Dail) and around St. Stephens Green to the offices of the department
of Foreign affairs where more speeches took place.
Chants along the way included "Bertie, Bertie,
Bushs man, blood blood on your hands", "Mary Harney, Bushs woman, ...."
, "Brian Cowen, etc." "Mary Harney is a man !?! ", "George Bush
we know you, your daddy was a killer too", "George Bush, get out of Iraq,
pack up them troops and send 'em back".
At the end of march speeches a singer and drummer
got the crowd going. Then Patricia McKenna, Green MEP, spoke out against
the continuing occupation, how illegal the war is, condemned the terrorists
in Spain, pointed out the since 90% of the Spainish population were against
Spainish participation in the war it was tragic that so many should become
victims of terrorists.
Roger Cole, or www.pana.ie
(Peace and Neutrality Alliance) spoke shortly of his groups aims and stated
it was now "bye, bye Aznar" time and will soon be "bye bye Bertie" time.
Ibrahim ? an Iraqi citizen living in Ireland spoke of
how disappointed he was that the dictator Saddam is just replaced with a
dictater Bremer.
Brid Smith of the SWP echoed similar sentiments. She pointed
out how Halliburton also have interests in Ireland since their Kellog Root
& Brown subsidary are managing the Dublin Port Tunnel. She also
condemned CRH (Cement Roadstone Holdings) the Irish construction company
which is involved in building the Israeli fence / wall.
Damien Moran from the Irish Pit shop ploughshares group
spoke of their disarmament of a US Navy plane last Feb 13, 3 days after
Mary Kelly did the same thing. He asked for peoples support for Michael
Bermingham, an Irish man who continues to live in Iraq and monitor the situation
there. He condemned the judges decision to barr him and his colleagues from
the whole of Co. Clare as being Stalinist style internal exile.
Senator David Norris spoke spiritedly about the disgrace the current government
are to the country, how they have sullied our reputation and wiped out any
notion of neutrality here. He announced how he does not want any Bush
bodyguards given immunity from prosection in the event of them shooting
at protestors.
Richard Boyd Barrett, SWP and IAWM, wound it up reminding
people to remember which parties voted for war when the local elections
come up in June, and encouraging people to take to the streets in protest
when Bush arrives on June 25, 26.
