There were 10 arrests and the Direct Action did not succeed in ripping down the fence (unlike the Oct 2002 action). The organisers (GNAW) had released plans openly calling for a two section demonstration: observer/solidarity and DA.

This resulted in a massive mobilisation of an extra 500 Gardai (Irish police) and the Irish Army deploying razor wire. GNAW hoped to get 2000 people to take part which would allow sufficient numbers to penetrate the 5-mile long fence even with the anticipated large numbers of security forces. As things turned out not enough people turned up.

An intensive smear campaign conducted by members of Trotskyist parties (SP, SWP), liberal "peace" groups and the mainstream media succeeded in conflating Non Violent Direct Action against a fence with "violence" and raising a level of hype and hysteria about prospective State violence. This was combined with the decision of the IAWM (three of whose four executive committee members are SWP) to call their own "non-violent" protest at Shannon on the same day after GNAW had announced their protest.

Despite all of this over 700 people turned up with the explicit intention of ripping down the fence in order to demonstrate a security threat to the USAF planes which use Shannon illegally as a refuelling depot on their way to deliver munitions and troops to the slaughter of the Iraqi people.