Dublin Ploughshares/Shannon 5 Trial Reaches soon to Conclude
Ploughshares Support | 18.07.2006 07:34 | Anti-militarism
The Pit Stop Ploughshares charged with $US2.5 million "criminal damage without reasonable excuse enter the 8th. day of their 3rd. trial at Dublin Four Courts today (J18). Charges arise from their nonviolent disabling of a U.S. Navy warplane en route to the invasion of Iraq at Shannon Airport (3(/203). They face a max sentence of 10 years imprisonment if convicted. all 5 have now testified. Kathy Kelly testifies this morning.
Ploughshares Trial Update Day 7 (J17)
They're in Court for Us, We're on the Loose for Them!
PIT STOP PLOUGHSHARES TRIAL REPORT Day 7 (J17) -Reports, Links, Updates, Events
They're in Court for Us, We're on the Loose for Them!
Pit Stop Ploughshares: Deirdre Clancy, Nuin Dunlop, Karen Fallon, Damien Moran & Ciaron O'Reilly On Trial for the Third time
-www.peaceontrial.com
ploughsharesireland@yahoo.ie
134 Phibsborough Rd. Phibsborough Dublin 7, Ireland
Ph. 087 918 4552 (mobile)+353 87 918 4552 (international)1)
1) Pit Stop Ploughshares Trial Report Trial Day 7 (Mon July 17th) in Dublin
2) Kathy Kelly to Testify Tuesday July 18th.10.30 am Court 23 Four Courts
3) Jeb Bush in Town (Dublin) Friday July 21 st.12 noon Conrads Hotel
4) Prison Solidarity Workshop
5) International Solidarity at Irish Embassies & Consulates
* Belfast Vigil & Leafletting Ongoing at Irish Tourist Bureau
6) Further Photos, Reports & Debates Arising from Kathy Kelly/ Jimmy Massey meetings in Dublin, Galway, Cork & Belfast
7) July 22nd. David Rovics Benefit Gig
8) International Supporters Accomodation
9) Financial Support for Ploughhsares Defence Fund
1) PIT STOP PLOUGHSHARES TRIAL RESUMES IN DUBLIN- MON. JULY 17TH.
Report Ploughshares Trial Day 7 (J18)
categoryauthor by justin morahan - Peace People
Tense day waiting
.The whole morning was given over to legal argument while the jury were asked to return at 2 p.m.
Late in the afternoon, Dr Jean Allain of Queen's University Belfast was called as a witness for the defence. Dr Allain studied law in Canada, Los Angeles and the Graduate Institute for International Studies in Geneva where he researched the League of Nations., spent six months in The Hague, as a law clerk at the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia. One of his books is on International Law in the Middle East.
In evidence, Dr Allain said that after 1945 the UN established a charter that outlawed war. Henceforth war could take place only if the UN Security Council authorised it or if it was for self defence. Asked if, in his opinion, the war in Iraq(2003) was lawful under either of these two conditions, he replied "No - and that is not just my opinion". Resolution 1441 of the Security Council did not authorise the war. The Security Council uses "a trigger mechanism" in its resolutions which is always there if it is agreeing to the legality of a war. The mechanism is the phrase "by all means necessary".. Resolution 1441 did not use that phrase but decided to "remain seized of the matter" This meant that the power to go to war was not given (to the US and Britain)
Asked about the Bush doctrine of the legality of a pre-emptive strike for self defence he said that most international jurists disagree with this "doctrine". There is a international consensus among jurists on this - apart from conservative American authors.
When, in cross-examination, the Prosecuting Counsel Conor Devally asked if this issue had been tried in a domestic court in Ireland or Britain, the witness replied:
"I don't study domestic law", When a further similar question was asked there was an objection from Senior Counsel Brendan Nix who said that the Prosecution was attempting to give evidence by means of a question.
The jury was sent out again
After legal argument the witness agreed with Junior Counsel for the Defence, Muireann Brogan, that the UN Charter was different from the League of Nations in that the Charter prohibits the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state. (The League could only delay the issue of war).
Asked if Governments could be tried if they didn't follow these rules, he replied that in the 1980s the US was found, by the International Court of Justice, to have been in breach of international law. (Nicaragua versus the United States). Both countries agreed at the start that they would accept the outcome.
Asked what punishment applied when a country so breached the law, he said "In international law, there is no police force. . . you cannot put a State in jail. You can take only limited action."
Kathy Kelly was called to the stand very late in the evening but Defence Counsel asked for a postponement of her evidence until tomorrow.
The trial continues Tues (J18) at 10.30 a.m.
2) KATHY KELLY TO TESTIFY TUES (J18) COURT 23, DUBLIN'S FOUR COURTS
Renowned peace activist brings truth to the courtroom
Kathy Kelly is a person of profound integrity, who knows how to walk the walk. She will testify at the trial of the Pitstop Ploughshares tomorrow in the Four Courts. In a climate in which the issue of Iraq and the use of Shannon has been put on the back burner for many, Kathy Kelly is there to remind us of what things are like on the ground for the ordinary people of Iraq as they continue to struggle with the ongoing daily realities of depleted uranium effects and ever escalating violence. Kathy has been a loyal and consistent supporter of the five on trial, having travelled to each of their trials and remained consistent in her support throughout the three-and-a-half years of legal proceedings.
Continued on
http://www.indymedia.ie/article/77292
3) JEB BUSH IN TOWN (DUBLIN) FRIDAY 12 NOON CONRAD HOTEL
Death penalty enthusiast, brother of George Junior and possibly future Pesident of the United States of America, Jeb Bush, is coming to Dubin this Friday to speak at Conrad Hotel
hosted by Meteor. A variety of anti-war & human rights groups
are organising criticalreceptions. AY are hosting a noise demonstration at 12 noon
Conrads Hotel, Earlsfort Tce 12noon
Check lnk for map and more info
http://www.indymedia.ie/article/77238
IAWM, NGO Peace Allaince & PANA kick off their protest at 12.30pm.
4) PRISON SOLIDARITY WORKSHOP HELD
Following the conclusion of the court scene of Trial Day 7 (J17). Pitstops & solidarity activsts gathered at the Franciscan Church opposite to the Four Courts to
a) Share experiences of prison & solidarity
b) Reflect on how we can support our present anti-war prisoners (both civilaian & military
c) Discuss how we can best support anti-war activists (present company excluded hopefully) during future prison time.
a) Kathy reflected on her approx 2 years of U.S. County Jaisl & Fed Prison time in the U.S. & the experience of being hogtied (www.soaw.org archives)
-Carmen (NYCW) on being set up by the NYPD for assault & a week in Rikers Island (pop 10,000) & receent experience of The Tombs (NYC)
-Martin on his 2 years in Rikers & 2 years in English prisons.
-Fr. Martin on his 4 months in Bedford Prison & 2 months in Belmarsh (London) max security.
-Scott on nights in police stations & a night in the Milton Keynes supermax.
-Eamonn on being bashed in police custody.(Ireland)
-Karen, Deirdre & Damien (Pitstops) on their time in Limerick Prison (www.peaceontrial.com).
-Justin on 6 months in Mountjoy Prison in the ' 70's (Ireland)
-Ciaron on his 13 months (USA) in Texas & New York County Jails & Louissiana & Oklahoma Fed Pens ("Bomber Grounded, Runway Closed", Rose Hill Books USA 1993), 5 months in Darwin Jail & short stints in Boggo Rd. (Brisbane) max security n the '80's. How prison solidarity work contributed to the closure of that barbaric prison. (Australia)
-Fintan on his 60 days in Limerick Prison following outbreak of the war (Ireland).
-Teresa (www.stpatricksfour.org) on her recent release from 4 months in U.S. County Jail & Fed Detention.(USA)
b) Solidarity from the outside anti-war movement was seen as basic to sustain the imprisoned anti-war resister & make it safer from attacks by prison staff & hostile (proactive minority,usually younger, fellow prisoners.) Acknowledgement as anti-war resistance grows within the militaries & civil society there will be more anti-war prisoners.
The "Prison Addresses" section of the following website was recommended as the best source for updated prison addresses primarily for U.S. anti-war prisoners & some internationals.
www.jonahhouse.org
c) Proposals & Suggestions
-that a group of 4 (Joe, Dave, Cathy, Fintan) be set up immediately if Ireland gets 5 new anti-war activist prisoners real soon! The 4 would coordinate outreach to sympathetic groups to politicise the imprisonment as a resistance to the war, nourish the activists in terms of the basics (visits, money for stamps, support during crisis etc), vigils (weekly at Mountjoy, monthly at Irish embassies), sustain the website (imprisoned activists encouraged to write reflections on war & custody).
-Similar solidarity collectives to be set up in Australia, England, Poland Scotland, U.S.
-to ask folks to do what they do best for the imprisoned resisters (punk musos & gig organisers to do benefits, artists to do posters, stickers, writers to wrote articles publicisng the incarceration as statements against ongoing Irish complicity in the war, walkers to walk, vigillers to vigil, priests to celebrate mass outside the jails, samba folks to make some noise outside the jails etc. Eamonn to finally finish his film!
5) INTERNATIONAL CALL FOR SOLIDARITY VIGILS ON JULY 5TH. AT IRISH EMBASSIES, CONSULS & SITES OF SIGNIFICANCE
*Tuesday (J18) vigilling & leafleting continues once again outside the Irish Tourist Bureau in Belfast.
More info link below..
http://www.indymedia.ie/article/77267
*Photos & report from solidarity vigil held outside the irish Embassy in Warsaw, Poland.
http://poland.indymedia.org/pl/2006/07/21903.shtml
If you have friends travelling or living in other parts of the world. Approach them to stage a solidarity vigil on the first day of our trail at an Irish Embassy or Consul. Have them email us about their gathering'
The list of consuls & embassies, can be found on the link below.........
Related Link: http://foreignaffairs.gov.ie/embassies/?m=e
6) REPORTS, PHOTOS & DEBATES ARISING FROM KATHY KELLY/JIMMY MASSEY PUBLIC MEETINGS IN DUBLIN, CORK, GALWAY & BELFAST
"How could you kill my...."
"Those words ring in my ears and haunt my dreams every night. Those words came from an Iraqi man after we shot into his car at a checkpoint near the Baghdad station. We had given a hand and arm signal to stop but they did not. There were four Iraqis in the car three of them were fatally wounded." - Former US Marine, Jimmy Massey.
Reports, Photos & Debates arising continued on
http://www.indymedia.ie/article/77230
* Extra Photos from Dublin Meeting & Liverpool Catholic Worker Resurfaces!
More photos including one of a resurfaced Liverpool Catholic Worker. The Liverpool CW was born out of the trial & acquittal of the Seeds of Hope" Ploughshares trial in July '96.
The Liverpool Catholic Worker saw a community of CW's & East Timorese exiles sustain a rhythym of steady resistance at British Aerospace, Warton, Lancashirre where the "Seeds of Hope" disarmament of aBritish Aerospace (BAe) Hawk Fighter which had taken place Jan' 03 The Hawk was in Indonesian Air Force markings days from export to Indonesia in its genocidal war on the people of East Timor.
East Timor is now free of a genocidal Indonesian military occupation, expert witness at the trial, Jose Ramos Horte, is now East Timor's Prime Minister, the "Seeds of Hope" gather iin Liverpool for their 10th. anniversary.
The Liverpool CW faced a sustained backlash from the BAe corporation & British state that included high court injunction, arrests & infiltration by Lancashire Special Branch & a private intelligence corporation (that also ran 6 agents in Campaign Against the Arms Trade).
(See "The Damage Done Alan Fossey & the Liverpool Catholic Worker" as a subsection of
http://www.spinwatch.org/modules.php?name=Content&pa=sh...part1
Before their understandable disintergration the Liverpool CW's produced a wonderful t-shirt inspired by a derogotory remark by the then Home Secretary Jack Straw at a Confernce on Prison "Scousers are always up to Something!" You betcha Jack! Later popularised by the punk rock director Alex Cox ("Repo Man", "Sid & Nancy", "Walker" "Highway Patrolman") on dodgy late night British TV & while making his latest film "Revenger's Tragedy. He later adopted the t-shirt as a signature for his film production company "Avenging Angel"
Continued on link below.....
http://www.indymedia.ie/article/77286
7) SAT. JULY 22ND. DAVID ROVICS TO PLAY BENEFIT GIG FOR PIT STOP PLOUGHSHARES IN DUBLIN
"The Bull & Castle" (opposite Christchurch Cathedral" at the top of Dame St.)
5-7 Lord Edward St.
Christchurch D2
Dublin
*ENTRY by donation
8) INTERNATIONAL SUPPORTERS COMING TO TRIAL & HOSPITALITY NEEDS
As we go into the second week of trial we are understandably losing a lot of our international supporters who have been working fulltime on trial support & understandably have to return home. 2 London CW's left last Friday, our 2 New York CW's are due to leave this coming Wednesday. Jimmy Massey leaves today (Tuesday). We grow more dependant on local support rising to the occasion.
*If you are planning to come to trial and need help with accomodation please mail ploughsharesireland@yahoo.ie
We can't guarantee accomodation if you turn up spontaneously, so please email us first if you need help with accomodation.
*If you are based in Dublin and can offer a bed or floor space to an international peace activist please mail us and state for which dates you can offer accomodation
ploughsharesireland@yahoo.ie
9) TRIAL DONATION DETAILS
PLEASE CONSIDER MAKING A DONATION TO TRIAL EXPENSES:
You can do so by donating in the following ways.......
"Ploughshares Defence Fund"
134 Phibsborough Rd.
Dublin 7
IRELAND
Donations can be lodged at any
Bank of Ireland branch:
"Ploughshares Defence Fund"
Account No. 80965573 Sort Code 900551
c
More information
www.peaceontrial.com
ploughsharesireland@yahoo.ie
http://www.peaceontrial.com
They're in Court for Us, We're on the Loose for Them!
PIT STOP PLOUGHSHARES TRIAL REPORT Day 7 (J17) -Reports, Links, Updates, Events
They're in Court for Us, We're on the Loose for Them!
Pit Stop Ploughshares: Deirdre Clancy, Nuin Dunlop, Karen Fallon, Damien Moran & Ciaron O'Reilly On Trial for the Third time
-www.peaceontrial.com
ploughsharesireland@yahoo.ie 134 Phibsborough Rd. Phibsborough Dublin 7, Ireland
Ph. 087 918 4552 (mobile)+353 87 918 4552 (international)1)
1) Pit Stop Ploughshares Trial Report Trial Day 7 (Mon July 17th) in Dublin
2) Kathy Kelly to Testify Tuesday July 18th.10.30 am Court 23 Four Courts
3) Jeb Bush in Town (Dublin) Friday July 21 st.12 noon Conrads Hotel
4) Prison Solidarity Workshop
5) International Solidarity at Irish Embassies & Consulates
* Belfast Vigil & Leafletting Ongoing at Irish Tourist Bureau
6) Further Photos, Reports & Debates Arising from Kathy Kelly/ Jimmy Massey meetings in Dublin, Galway, Cork & Belfast
7) July 22nd. David Rovics Benefit Gig
8) International Supporters Accomodation
9) Financial Support for Ploughhsares Defence Fund
1) PIT STOP PLOUGHSHARES TRIAL RESUMES IN DUBLIN- MON. JULY 17TH.
Report Ploughshares Trial Day 7 (J18)
categoryauthor by justin morahan - Peace People
Tense day waiting
.The whole morning was given over to legal argument while the jury were asked to return at 2 p.m.
Late in the afternoon, Dr Jean Allain of Queen's University Belfast was called as a witness for the defence. Dr Allain studied law in Canada, Los Angeles and the Graduate Institute for International Studies in Geneva where he researched the League of Nations., spent six months in The Hague, as a law clerk at the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia. One of his books is on International Law in the Middle East.
In evidence, Dr Allain said that after 1945 the UN established a charter that outlawed war. Henceforth war could take place only if the UN Security Council authorised it or if it was for self defence. Asked if, in his opinion, the war in Iraq(2003) was lawful under either of these two conditions, he replied "No - and that is not just my opinion". Resolution 1441 of the Security Council did not authorise the war. The Security Council uses "a trigger mechanism" in its resolutions which is always there if it is agreeing to the legality of a war. The mechanism is the phrase "by all means necessary".. Resolution 1441 did not use that phrase but decided to "remain seized of the matter" This meant that the power to go to war was not given (to the US and Britain)
Asked about the Bush doctrine of the legality of a pre-emptive strike for self defence he said that most international jurists disagree with this "doctrine". There is a international consensus among jurists on this - apart from conservative American authors.
When, in cross-examination, the Prosecuting Counsel Conor Devally asked if this issue had been tried in a domestic court in Ireland or Britain, the witness replied:
"I don't study domestic law", When a further similar question was asked there was an objection from Senior Counsel Brendan Nix who said that the Prosecution was attempting to give evidence by means of a question.
The jury was sent out again
After legal argument the witness agreed with Junior Counsel for the Defence, Muireann Brogan, that the UN Charter was different from the League of Nations in that the Charter prohibits the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state. (The League could only delay the issue of war).
Asked if Governments could be tried if they didn't follow these rules, he replied that in the 1980s the US was found, by the International Court of Justice, to have been in breach of international law. (Nicaragua versus the United States). Both countries agreed at the start that they would accept the outcome.
Asked what punishment applied when a country so breached the law, he said "In international law, there is no police force. . . you cannot put a State in jail. You can take only limited action."
Kathy Kelly was called to the stand very late in the evening but Defence Counsel asked for a postponement of her evidence until tomorrow.
The trial continues Tues (J18) at 10.30 a.m.
2) KATHY KELLY TO TESTIFY TUES (J18) COURT 23, DUBLIN'S FOUR COURTS
Renowned peace activist brings truth to the courtroom
Kathy Kelly is a person of profound integrity, who knows how to walk the walk. She will testify at the trial of the Pitstop Ploughshares tomorrow in the Four Courts. In a climate in which the issue of Iraq and the use of Shannon has been put on the back burner for many, Kathy Kelly is there to remind us of what things are like on the ground for the ordinary people of Iraq as they continue to struggle with the ongoing daily realities of depleted uranium effects and ever escalating violence. Kathy has been a loyal and consistent supporter of the five on trial, having travelled to each of their trials and remained consistent in her support throughout the three-and-a-half years of legal proceedings.
Continued on
http://www.indymedia.ie/article/77292 3) JEB BUSH IN TOWN (DUBLIN) FRIDAY 12 NOON CONRAD HOTEL
Death penalty enthusiast, brother of George Junior and possibly future Pesident of the United States of America, Jeb Bush, is coming to Dubin this Friday to speak at Conrad Hotel
hosted by Meteor. A variety of anti-war & human rights groups
are organising criticalreceptions. AY are hosting a noise demonstration at 12 noon
Conrads Hotel, Earlsfort Tce 12noon
Check lnk for map and more info
http://www.indymedia.ie/article/77238 IAWM, NGO Peace Allaince & PANA kick off their protest at 12.30pm.
4) PRISON SOLIDARITY WORKSHOP HELD
Following the conclusion of the court scene of Trial Day 7 (J17). Pitstops & solidarity activsts gathered at the Franciscan Church opposite to the Four Courts to
a) Share experiences of prison & solidarity
b) Reflect on how we can support our present anti-war prisoners (both civilaian & military
c) Discuss how we can best support anti-war activists (present company excluded hopefully) during future prison time.
a) Kathy reflected on her approx 2 years of U.S. County Jaisl & Fed Prison time in the U.S. & the experience of being hogtied (www.soaw.org archives)
-Carmen (NYCW) on being set up by the NYPD for assault & a week in Rikers Island (pop 10,000) & receent experience of The Tombs (NYC)
-Martin on his 2 years in Rikers & 2 years in English prisons.
-Fr. Martin on his 4 months in Bedford Prison & 2 months in Belmarsh (London) max security.
-Scott on nights in police stations & a night in the Milton Keynes supermax.
-Eamonn on being bashed in police custody.(Ireland)
-Karen, Deirdre & Damien (Pitstops) on their time in Limerick Prison (www.peaceontrial.com).
-Justin on 6 months in Mountjoy Prison in the ' 70's (Ireland)
-Ciaron on his 13 months (USA) in Texas & New York County Jails & Louissiana & Oklahoma Fed Pens ("Bomber Grounded, Runway Closed", Rose Hill Books USA 1993), 5 months in Darwin Jail & short stints in Boggo Rd. (Brisbane) max security n the '80's. How prison solidarity work contributed to the closure of that barbaric prison. (Australia)
-Fintan on his 60 days in Limerick Prison following outbreak of the war (Ireland).
-Teresa (www.stpatricksfour.org) on her recent release from 4 months in U.S. County Jail & Fed Detention.(USA)
b) Solidarity from the outside anti-war movement was seen as basic to sustain the imprisoned anti-war resister & make it safer from attacks by prison staff & hostile (proactive minority,usually younger, fellow prisoners.) Acknowledgement as anti-war resistance grows within the militaries & civil society there will be more anti-war prisoners.
The "Prison Addresses" section of the following website was recommended as the best source for updated prison addresses primarily for U.S. anti-war prisoners & some internationals.
www.jonahhouse.org
c) Proposals & Suggestions
-that a group of 4 (Joe, Dave, Cathy, Fintan) be set up immediately if Ireland gets 5 new anti-war activist prisoners real soon! The 4 would coordinate outreach to sympathetic groups to politicise the imprisonment as a resistance to the war, nourish the activists in terms of the basics (visits, money for stamps, support during crisis etc), vigils (weekly at Mountjoy, monthly at Irish embassies), sustain the website (imprisoned activists encouraged to write reflections on war & custody).
-Similar solidarity collectives to be set up in Australia, England, Poland Scotland, U.S.
-to ask folks to do what they do best for the imprisoned resisters (punk musos & gig organisers to do benefits, artists to do posters, stickers, writers to wrote articles publicisng the incarceration as statements against ongoing Irish complicity in the war, walkers to walk, vigillers to vigil, priests to celebrate mass outside the jails, samba folks to make some noise outside the jails etc. Eamonn to finally finish his film!
5) INTERNATIONAL CALL FOR SOLIDARITY VIGILS ON JULY 5TH. AT IRISH EMBASSIES, CONSULS & SITES OF SIGNIFICANCE
*Tuesday (J18) vigilling & leafleting continues once again outside the Irish Tourist Bureau in Belfast.
More info link below..
http://www.indymedia.ie/article/77267 *Photos & report from solidarity vigil held outside the irish Embassy in Warsaw, Poland.
http://poland.indymedia.org/pl/2006/07/21903.shtml If you have friends travelling or living in other parts of the world. Approach them to stage a solidarity vigil on the first day of our trail at an Irish Embassy or Consul. Have them email us about their gathering'
The list of consuls & embassies, can be found on the link below.........
Related Link:
http://foreignaffairs.gov.ie/embassies/?m=e 6) REPORTS, PHOTOS & DEBATES ARISING FROM KATHY KELLY/JIMMY MASSEY PUBLIC MEETINGS IN DUBLIN, CORK, GALWAY & BELFAST
"How could you kill my...."
"Those words ring in my ears and haunt my dreams every night. Those words came from an Iraqi man after we shot into his car at a checkpoint near the Baghdad station. We had given a hand and arm signal to stop but they did not. There were four Iraqis in the car three of them were fatally wounded." - Former US Marine, Jimmy Massey.
Reports, Photos & Debates arising continued on
http://www.indymedia.ie/article/77230 * Extra Photos from Dublin Meeting & Liverpool Catholic Worker Resurfaces!
More photos including one of a resurfaced Liverpool Catholic Worker. The Liverpool CW was born out of the trial & acquittal of the Seeds of Hope" Ploughshares trial in July '96.
The Liverpool Catholic Worker saw a community of CW's & East Timorese exiles sustain a rhythym of steady resistance at British Aerospace, Warton, Lancashirre where the "Seeds of Hope" disarmament of aBritish Aerospace (BAe) Hawk Fighter which had taken place Jan' 03 The Hawk was in Indonesian Air Force markings days from export to Indonesia in its genocidal war on the people of East Timor.
East Timor is now free of a genocidal Indonesian military occupation, expert witness at the trial, Jose Ramos Horte, is now East Timor's Prime Minister, the "Seeds of Hope" gather iin Liverpool for their 10th. anniversary.
The Liverpool CW faced a sustained backlash from the BAe corporation & British state that included high court injunction, arrests & infiltration by Lancashire Special Branch & a private intelligence corporation (that also ran 6 agents in Campaign Against the Arms Trade).
(See "The Damage Done Alan Fossey & the Liverpool Catholic Worker" as a subsection of
http://www.spinwatch.org/modules.php?name=Content&pa=sh...part1 Before their understandable disintergration the Liverpool CW's produced a wonderful t-shirt inspired by a derogotory remark by the then Home Secretary Jack Straw at a Confernce on Prison "Scousers are always up to Something!" You betcha Jack! Later popularised by the punk rock director Alex Cox ("Repo Man", "Sid & Nancy", "Walker" "Highway Patrolman") on dodgy late night British TV & while making his latest film "Revenger's Tragedy. He later adopted the t-shirt as a signature for his film production company "Avenging Angel"
Continued on link below.....
http://www.indymedia.ie/article/77286 7) SAT. JULY 22ND. DAVID ROVICS TO PLAY BENEFIT GIG FOR PIT STOP PLOUGHSHARES IN DUBLIN
"The Bull & Castle" (opposite Christchurch Cathedral" at the top of Dame St.)
5-7 Lord Edward St.
Christchurch D2
Dublin
*ENTRY by donation
8) INTERNATIONAL SUPPORTERS COMING TO TRIAL & HOSPITALITY NEEDS
As we go into the second week of trial we are understandably losing a lot of our international supporters who have been working fulltime on trial support & understandably have to return home. 2 London CW's left last Friday, our 2 New York CW's are due to leave this coming Wednesday. Jimmy Massey leaves today (Tuesday). We grow more dependant on local support rising to the occasion.
*If you are planning to come to trial and need help with accomodation please mail
ploughsharesireland@yahoo.ie We can't guarantee accomodation if you turn up spontaneously, so please email us first if you need help with accomodation.
*If you are based in Dublin and can offer a bed or floor space to an international peace activist please mail us and state for which dates you can offer accomodation
ploughsharesireland@yahoo.ie 9) TRIAL DONATION DETAILS
PLEASE CONSIDER MAKING A DONATION TO TRIAL EXPENSES:
You can do so by donating in the following ways.......
"Ploughshares Defence Fund"
134 Phibsborough Rd.
Dublin 7
IRELAND
Donations can be lodged at any
Bank of Ireland branch:
"Ploughshares Defence Fund"
Account No. 80965573 Sort Code 900551
c
More information
www.peaceontrial.com
ploughsharesireland@yahoo.ie http://www.peaceontrial.com
Ploughshares Support
Homepage:
http://www.peaceontrial.com
Additions
WORKSHOP LINK CONTRIBUTE-Prison Reflections & Jail Solidarity Suggestions
19.07.2006 06:22
Folks who were (& weren't) at the prison & solidarity workshop after the trial day on Monday.
Here is the link to rough minutes of that meeting & suggestions of solidarity organsing should we hit jail. We have been informed by our legal team that (worst case scenario) we could be taken into custody/ remanded without bail by the Judge as early as Wed evening (most likely Thursday). It would be hoped if things go that way we would be granted bail until seentencing. It would be hoped (even with the presnt absence of a vibrant anti-war movement in the streets of Ireland) that we get acquitted.
Prison & Solidarity Workshop Link , please contribute reflections & suggestions
http://www.indymedia.ie/article/77298
If folks who shared their prison reflection at the high quality workshop could post some as "comments" on the link above. Even folks who weren't there could share their reflections on the link above. If you want to support us if & when we hit jail feel free to contribute solidarity suggestions on the link above.
For what there worth.
Here's my reflectionson on prison & solidarity....
Reflections on Jail & Solidarity-Ciaron O'Reilly- Pit Stop Ploughshares
author
Some of us shared our scariest times.
The last time I saw Nathan "The Colosus of Boggo Rd." Jones, he was getting his throat slashed by Brad Pitt in the opening scenes of"Troy". The first time I saw him I was in my 20's and in Boggo Rd. (max security) Jail Brisbane , for refusal to pay a fine for nonviolent civil disobedience. The screws tried to intimidate me by leaving me solo in a yard with Nathan for the day.
In the meantime Nathan finished his 8 years for a series of armed robberies in Tasmania (go figure? Tassie population 400,000, Nathan is 6' 10"....not sure how he was planning to blend into the crowd?), got himself an agent and ended up in WWF and now he's in the movies.There's a photo of Nathan here on this link....
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nathan_Jones_(wrestler)
Part of the spin off of Brisbane actvists refusing to pay fines and doing jail time was prisoner solidarity work which climaxed with us (prisoners & advocates) closing Boggo Rd Jail down. As prisoners took action on the inside we were able to speak on the outside about conditions, start a Prisoners radio Show that is still going & do solidarity demonstrations outside the jail and street speak downtown when there were hunger strikes and guys on the roof. One of the best prisoner activist on the inside I met was Gary Gray. He died to young. here's an obituary I wrote at the time....
http://www.greenleft.org.au/back/2000/414/414p12.htm
The longest stint I've done so far has been 13 months in New York & Texas County Jails & Oklahoma & Louissiana Federal Pens. I was in the ANZUS Plowshares community with Bill, Sue & Moana we had disarmed a B-52 Bomber ('91 Rome AFB, upstate New York) on the eve of the Gulf War. I ended up being flown on Con Air to the Texas border & shipped into the outback.
I was the only white guy in the jail & was in a cage with 23 other men for 9 months. I found the first month very difficult. the amount of support mail I recieved made the guards back off from harrassing me and made me popular with the stamp collectors. The next 8 months were manageable. I was pretty disciplined about spiritual & physical exercise, serious & light reading & writing and trying to be helpful to other prisoners. Out of my correspondence came a journal that produced a book "Bomber Grounded, Runway Closed" that was published in the U.S. here's a chapter from the early period of the sentence....
http://vof.cat.org.au/visions/cairon.htm
The 5 months jail time following the Jabiluka Poughshares was also interesting for a white australian as Darwin's Berrimah Prison was approx 95% aborigine inmates/ 95% white staff. This is an article about a small resistance action I pulled off in jail against DNA testing......
http://www.serve.com/nukeresister/nr119/nr119ciaron.html
The last stint was in Limerick Prison remanded after the Pit Stop Ploughshares. The old Dan Berrigan maxim "Don't Just Do Something, Stand There!" makes a lot of sense following a serious action. The five of us entered jail and fasted for 5 days, staying put soaks up the seriousness of the nonviolent resistance to the war and fasting tells your body your in a different place. here's aletter I wrote at the time...
http://www.themanifesto.co.uk/witness/articles/letterCi....html
I lived with Phil Berrigan at Jonah House (Baltimore, Maryland, USA) for the best part of a year. Phil would say "friends in jail for peace speak to our conscience, which is the way God speaks to us". here's some articles by & about PhiL who spent 11 of his last 30 years in prison for nonviolent resistance to the war machine
http://www.jonahhouse.org/phil.htm
Related Link: http://www.peaceontrial.com
Here is the link to rough minutes of that meeting & suggestions of solidarity organsing should we hit jail. We have been informed by our legal team that (worst case scenario) we could be taken into custody/ remanded without bail by the Judge as early as Wed evening (most likely Thursday). It would be hoped if things go that way we would be granted bail until seentencing. It would be hoped (even with the presnt absence of a vibrant anti-war movement in the streets of Ireland) that we get acquitted.
Prison & Solidarity Workshop Link , please contribute reflections & suggestions
http://www.indymedia.ie/article/77298 If folks who shared their prison reflection at the high quality workshop could post some as "comments" on the link above. Even folks who weren't there could share their reflections on the link above. If you want to support us if & when we hit jail feel free to contribute solidarity suggestions on the link above.
For what there worth.
Here's my reflectionson on prison & solidarity....
Reflections on Jail & Solidarity-Ciaron O'Reilly- Pit Stop Ploughshares
author
Some of us shared our scariest times.
The last time I saw Nathan "The Colosus of Boggo Rd." Jones, he was getting his throat slashed by Brad Pitt in the opening scenes of"Troy". The first time I saw him I was in my 20's and in Boggo Rd. (max security) Jail Brisbane , for refusal to pay a fine for nonviolent civil disobedience. The screws tried to intimidate me by leaving me solo in a yard with Nathan for the day.
In the meantime Nathan finished his 8 years for a series of armed robberies in Tasmania (go figure? Tassie population 400,000, Nathan is 6' 10"....not sure how he was planning to blend into the crowd?), got himself an agent and ended up in WWF and now he's in the movies.There's a photo of Nathan here on this link....
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nathan_Jones_(wrestler) Part of the spin off of Brisbane actvists refusing to pay fines and doing jail time was prisoner solidarity work which climaxed with us (prisoners & advocates) closing Boggo Rd Jail down. As prisoners took action on the inside we were able to speak on the outside about conditions, start a Prisoners radio Show that is still going & do solidarity demonstrations outside the jail and street speak downtown when there were hunger strikes and guys on the roof. One of the best prisoner activist on the inside I met was Gary Gray. He died to young. here's an obituary I wrote at the time....
http://www.greenleft.org.au/back/2000/414/414p12.htm The longest stint I've done so far has been 13 months in New York & Texas County Jails & Oklahoma & Louissiana Federal Pens. I was in the ANZUS Plowshares community with Bill, Sue & Moana we had disarmed a B-52 Bomber ('91 Rome AFB, upstate New York) on the eve of the Gulf War. I ended up being flown on Con Air to the Texas border & shipped into the outback.
I was the only white guy in the jail & was in a cage with 23 other men for 9 months. I found the first month very difficult. the amount of support mail I recieved made the guards back off from harrassing me and made me popular with the stamp collectors. The next 8 months were manageable. I was pretty disciplined about spiritual & physical exercise, serious & light reading & writing and trying to be helpful to other prisoners. Out of my correspondence came a journal that produced a book "Bomber Grounded, Runway Closed" that was published in the U.S. here's a chapter from the early period of the sentence....
http://vof.cat.org.au/visions/cairon.htm The 5 months jail time following the Jabiluka Poughshares was also interesting for a white australian as Darwin's Berrimah Prison was approx 95% aborigine inmates/ 95% white staff. This is an article about a small resistance action I pulled off in jail against DNA testing......
http://www.serve.com/nukeresister/nr119/nr119ciaron.html The last stint was in Limerick Prison remanded after the Pit Stop Ploughshares. The old Dan Berrigan maxim "Don't Just Do Something, Stand There!" makes a lot of sense following a serious action. The five of us entered jail and fasted for 5 days, staying put soaks up the seriousness of the nonviolent resistance to the war and fasting tells your body your in a different place. here's aletter I wrote at the time...
http://www.themanifesto.co.uk/witness/articles/letterCi....html I lived with Phil Berrigan at Jonah House (Baltimore, Maryland, USA) for the best part of a year. Phil would say "friends in jail for peace speak to our conscience, which is the way God speaks to us". here's some articles by & about PhiL who spent 11 of his last 30 years in prison for nonviolent resistance to the war machine
http://www.jonahhouse.org/phil.htm Related Link:
http://www.peaceontrial.com
Ciaron
Update as Ploughshares 5 Head To Verdict Day-Friday
20.07.2006 06:54
Reports, Briefings, Updates & Events as Ploughshares 5 head to Verdict Day-Friday
author by Ploughshares Supportpublication date Thu Jul 20, 2006 07:51author address Four Courtsauthor phone 087 918 4552Report this post to the editors
PIT STOP PLOUGHSHARES TRIAL REPORTS & UPDATES -Reports, Links, Updates, Events
They're in Court for Us, We're on the Loose for Them!
Pit Stop Ploughshares: Deirdre Clancy, Nuin Dunlop, Karen Fallon, Damien Moran & Ciaron O'Reilly On Trial for the Third time, Four Courts, Dublin, Ireland.
www.peaceontrial.com
ploughsharesireland@yahoo.ie
134 Phibsborough Rd. Phibsborough Dublin 7, Ireland
Ph. 087 918 4552 (mobile)+353 87 918 4552 (international)1)
1) Pit Stop Ploughshares Trial Day 11 Briefing ( Fri July 21st)
2) Pit Stop Ploughshares Trial Day 10 Briefing ( Thurs July 20th)
3) Pit Stop Ploughshares Trial Report Day 9 (Wed July 18th.)
4) Pit Stop Ploughshares Trial Report Day 8 ( Tues July 17th.)
5) Jeb Bush in Town (Dublin) Friday July 21 st.12 noon Conrads Hotel
6) Prison Solidarity Workshop
7) Call for International Solidarity/ Anti-War Vigils at Irish Embassies, Consulates & Sites of Significance in the War Effort on Iraq-for Friday July 21st. (Verdict Day)-Reports & Photos from Previous Solidarity Vigils
8) Reports, Photos & Debate Arising Out of Kathy Kelly/ Jimmy Massey "Iraq War on Trial" Public Meetings in Dublin, Cork, Galway & Belfast.
9) July 22nd. David Rovics Benefit Gig
10) Pine Gap Crew go to Trial Oct in Alice Springs, Australia *Kicks Off Oct 3.d
11) Fairford 5 Go To Trial Oct in Bristol Crown Court, England *Sept.4th-18th.
12) International Supporters Accomodation
13) Financial Support for Ploughhsares Defence Fund
1) PIT STOP PLOUGHSHARES TRIAL VERDICT DAY FRI JULY 21ST.
*8.30 am Anti-War Vigil, The Spire, O'connel St.Court 23, Four Courts, Dublin
*9.15AM Single File Silent Peace walk to Four Courts in memory of the war dead.
*10am Trial Court 23, The Four Courts
2) PIT STOP PLOUGHSHARES TRIAL CLOSING SPEECHES THURS JULY20TH.
*8.30am Anti-War Vigil, The Spire O'Connel St.
*9.15 am single file, silent peace walkl to Four Courts in memorey of the war dead
*10am Trial Court 23, The Four Courts
3) PIT STOP PLOUGHSHARES TRIAL DAY 9 (J19)
4) PIT STOP PLOUGHSHARES TRIAL DAY 8 (J18)
As above report
5) JEB BUSH IN TOWN (DUBLIN) FRIDAY 12 NOON CONRAD HOTEL
Death penalty enthusiast, brother of George Junior and possibly future Pesident of the United States of America, Jeb Bush, is coming to Dubin this Friday to speak at Conrad Hotel
hosted by Meteor. A variety of anti-war & human rights groups
are organising criticalreceptions. AY are hosting a noise demonstration at 12 noon
Conrads Hotel, Earlsfort Tce 12noon
Check lnk for map and more info
http://www.indymedia.ie/article/77238
IAWM, NGO Peace Allaince & PANA kick off their protest at 12.30pm.
6) PRISON SOLIDARITY WORKSHOP HELD
Following the conclusion of the court scene of Trial Day 7 (J17). Pitstops & solidarity activsts gathered at the Franciscan Church opposite to the Four Courts to
a) Share experiences of prison & solidarity
b) Reflect on how we can support our present anti-war prisoners (both civilaian & military
c) Discuss how we can best support anti-war activists (present company excluded hopefully) during future prison time.
a) Kathy reflected on her approx 2 years of U.S. County Jaisl & Fed Prison time in the U.S. & the experience of being hogtied (www.soaw.org archives)
-Carmen (NYCW) on being set up by the NYPD for assault & a week in Rikers Island (pop 10,000) & receent experience of The Tombs (NYC)
-Martin on his 2 years in Rikers & 2 years in English prisons.
-Fr. Martin on his 4 months in Bedford Prison & 2 months in Belmarsh (London) max security.
-Scott on nights in police stations & a night in the Milton Keynes supermax.
-Eamonn on being bashed in police custody.(Ireland)
-Karen, Deirdre & Damien (Pitstops) on their time in Limerick Prison (www.peaceontrial.com).
-Justin on 6 months in Mountjoy Prison in the ' 70's (Ireland)
-Ciaron on his 13 months (USA) in Texas & New York County Jails & Louissiana & Oklahoma Fed Pens ("Bomber Grounded, Runway Closed", Rose Hill Books USA 1993), 5 months in Darwin Jail & short stints in Boggo Rd. (Brisbane) max security n the '80's. How prison solidarity work contributed to the closure of that barbaric prison. (Australia)
-Fintan on his 60 days in Limerick Prison following outbreak of the war (Ireland).
-Teresa (www.stpatricksfour.org) on her recent release from 4 months in U.S. County Jail & Fed Detention.(USA)
b) Solidarity from the outside anti-war movement was seen as basic to sustain the imprisoned anti-war resister & make it safer from attacks by prison staff & hostile (proactive minority,usually younger, fellow prisoners.) Acknowledgement as anti-war resistance grows within the militaries & civil society there will be more anti-war prisoners.
The "Prison Addresses" section of the following website was recommended as the best source for updated prison addresses primarily for U.S. anti-war prisoners & some internationals.
www.jonahhouse.org
c) Proposals & Suggestions
-that a group of 4 (Joe, Dave, Cathy, Fintan) be set up immediately if Ireland gets 5 new anti-war activist prisoners real soon! The 4 would coordinate outreach to sympathetic groups to politicise the imprisonment as a resistance to the war, nourish the activists in terms of the basics (visits, money for stamps, support during crisis etc), vigils (weekly at Mountjoy, monthly at Irish embassies), sustain the website (imprisoned activists encouraged to write reflections on war & custody).
-Similar solidarity collectives to be set up in Australia, England, Poland Scotland, U.S.
-to ask folks to do what they do best for the imprisoned resisters (punk musos & gig organisers to do benefits, artists to do posters, stickers, writers to wrote articles publicisng the incarceration as statements against ongoing Irish complicity in the war, walkers to walk, vigillers to vigil, priests to celebrate mass outside the jails, samba folks to make some noise outside the jails etc. Eamonn to finally finish his film!
7) INTERNATIONAL CALL FOR SOLIDARITY VIGILS ON JULY 5TH. AT IRISH EMBASSIES, CONSULS & SITES OF SIGNIFICANCE FOR FRIDAY JULY 21ST. (VERDICT DAY)
At our past court appearances solidarity vigils against ongoing Irish complicity in the war on Iraq have been held at Irish Embassies & Consuls in Washington DC, New York City, Houston, Melbourne, Vancouver, London, Dili (East Timor), Brussels, Gotenburg,, Auckland. Also solidarity vigils were held at Bishop Romero's grave (El Salvador), the Berlin Gate, US Air Force Base at Christchurch Airport (New Zealand), Shannon Airport, Belfast, Scales of Justice statue Brisbane, statue in Budapest and an Irish theme bar in Amsterdam.
Before our first trial in march last year, a group of nonviolent activists staged a solidarity sit in at the Irish Embassy in London. This scored a lot of media attention as it was such a "man bites dog story" after 30 years of Irish protests at British Embassies, we have a crew that stages a British protest at an Irish Embassy!
This first week of our 3rd. trial saw solidarity vigils at the Irish Embassy in Washington DC & London, at the irish Consulate in Melbourne, the Scales of Justice statue in Brisbane & the Irish tourist bureau in Belfast. This coming week will see solidarity vigil at the Irish Embassy in Warsaw.
Photos & reports of the solidarity vigils that have taken place can be found on the day 1 of Pit Stop Ploughshares Trial feature on
www.indymedia.ie
*London & Oxford catholic Workers have maintained a daily solidarity vigil outside the Irish Embassy in London during our 2nd. week of trial.
*Anti-War ireland & Friends have sustained regular vigils & leafletting in Belfast.
*Dublin Playwrite & thespian Donal O'Kelly will dedicate his performance of "The Cambria" in Kinsale this Thursday night to the Pit Stop Ploughsares 5.
*David Rovics is dedicating his song " Who Would Jesus Bomb?" to the Pit Stop Ploughshares 5 at his gigs on his present tour of England & Ireland.
*English comedian Mark Thomas devoted his encore at recent Dublin gig to the Pit Stop Ploughshares 5.
*Melbourne Vigil Photos & report
http://www.indymedia.ie/article/77054?author_name=Paul&...57690
*Photos & report from solidarity vigil held outside the irish Embassy in Warsaw, Poland.
http://poland.indymedia.org/pl/2006/07/21903.shtml
If you have friends travelling or living in other parts of the world. Approach them to stage a solidarity vigil on the first day of our trail at an Irish Embassy or Consul. Have them email us about their gathering'
The list of consuls & embassies, can be found on the link below.........
Related Link: http://foreignaffairs.gov.ie/embassies/?m=e
8) REPORTS, PHOTOS & DEBATES ARISING FROM KATHY KELLY/JIMMY MASSEY PUBLIC MEETINGS IN DUBLIN, CORK, GALWAY & BELFAST
"
Reports, Photos & Debates arising continued on
http://www.indymedia.ie/article/77230
9) SAT. JULY 22ND. DAVID ROVICS TO PLAY BENEFIT GIG FOR PIT STOP PLOUGHSHARES IN DUBLIN
"The Bull & Castle" (opposite Christchurch Cathedral" at the top of Dame St.)
5-7 Lord Edward St.
Christchurch D2
Dublin
*ENTRY by donation
10) PINE GAP CREW GO TO TRIAL IN ALICE SPRINGS KICKS OFF OCT 3RD.
Catholic Workers & Friends called "Christians Against All Terrorism" were arrested and charged aftercarrying out a citizen's inspection of CIA/NSA Pine Gap warfighting sattelite base near isolated Alice Springs in December go to trial in October. Trial occurs on the 20th. anniversary of Pope John Paul 2nd.'s historic visit to Alice Springs. (pop 20,000 in the dead centre of Australia!)
www.pinegap6.org
http://sydney.indymedia.org/node/37813
11) "FAIRFORD/B52 FIVE" GO TO TRIAL SEPT 4TH.-18TH. IN BRISTOL CROWN COURT, ENGLAND
Five folks go to trial in Bristol Crown Court in October facing charges from 3 disarmament & attempted disarmament actions at U.S. Air Force B52 Base in Fairford, England. Actions took place in lead up to out invasion of Iraq.
http://bristol.indymedia.org/newswire.php?story_id=25213
12) INTERNATIONAL SUPPORTERS COMING TO TRIAL & HOSPITALITY NEEDS
As we go into the second week of trial we are understandably losing a lot of our international supporters who have been working fulltime on trial support & understandably have to return home. 2 1/2 more London CW's left last this morning, our 2 New York CW's have extended thir stay until Monday. Jimmy Massey left Tuesday. Kathy Kelly leaves Saturday. We grow more dependant on local support rising to the occasion.
*If you are planning to come to trial and need help with accomodation please mail ploughsharesireland@yahoo.ie
We can't guarantee accomodation if you turn up spontaneously, so please email us first if you need help with accomodation.
*If you are based in Dublin and can offer a bed or floor space to an international peace activist please mail us and state for which dates you can offer accomodation
ploughsharesireland@yahoo.ie
13) TRIAL DONATION DETAILS
PLEASE CONSIDER MAKING A DONATION TO TRIAL EXPENSES:
You can do so by donating in the following ways.......
"Ploughshares Defence Fund"
134 Phibsborough Rd.
Dublin 7
IRELAND
Donations can be lodged at any
Bank of Ireland branch:
"Ploughshares Defence Fund"
Account No. 80965573 Sort Code 900551
*If you are in the U.S. and wish to donate, please make cheques payable to
"Kim Driscoll"
2400 Tuna Canyon Rd.
Topanga
CA. 90290
USA
author by Ploughshares Supportpublication date Thu Jul 20, 2006 07:51author address Four Courtsauthor phone 087 918 4552Report this post to the editors
PIT STOP PLOUGHSHARES TRIAL REPORTS & UPDATES -Reports, Links, Updates, Events
They're in Court for Us, We're on the Loose for Them!
Pit Stop Ploughshares: Deirdre Clancy, Nuin Dunlop, Karen Fallon, Damien Moran & Ciaron O'Reilly On Trial for the Third time, Four Courts, Dublin, Ireland.
www.peaceontrial.com
ploughsharesireland@yahoo.ie 134 Phibsborough Rd. Phibsborough Dublin 7, Ireland
Ph. 087 918 4552 (mobile)+353 87 918 4552 (international)1)
1) Pit Stop Ploughshares Trial Day 11 Briefing ( Fri July 21st)
2) Pit Stop Ploughshares Trial Day 10 Briefing ( Thurs July 20th)
3) Pit Stop Ploughshares Trial Report Day 9 (Wed July 18th.)
4) Pit Stop Ploughshares Trial Report Day 8 ( Tues July 17th.)
5) Jeb Bush in Town (Dublin) Friday July 21 st.12 noon Conrads Hotel
6) Prison Solidarity Workshop
7) Call for International Solidarity/ Anti-War Vigils at Irish Embassies, Consulates & Sites of Significance in the War Effort on Iraq-for Friday July 21st. (Verdict Day)-Reports & Photos from Previous Solidarity Vigils
8) Reports, Photos & Debate Arising Out of Kathy Kelly/ Jimmy Massey "Iraq War on Trial" Public Meetings in Dublin, Cork, Galway & Belfast.
9) July 22nd. David Rovics Benefit Gig
10) Pine Gap Crew go to Trial Oct in Alice Springs, Australia *Kicks Off Oct 3.d
11) Fairford 5 Go To Trial Oct in Bristol Crown Court, England *Sept.4th-18th.
12) International Supporters Accomodation
13) Financial Support for Ploughhsares Defence Fund
1) PIT STOP PLOUGHSHARES TRIAL VERDICT DAY FRI JULY 21ST.
*8.30 am Anti-War Vigil, The Spire, O'connel St.Court 23, Four Courts, Dublin
*9.15AM Single File Silent Peace walk to Four Courts in memory of the war dead.
*10am Trial Court 23, The Four Courts
2) PIT STOP PLOUGHSHARES TRIAL CLOSING SPEECHES THURS JULY20TH.
*8.30am Anti-War Vigil, The Spire O'Connel St.
*9.15 am single file, silent peace walkl to Four Courts in memorey of the war dead
*10am Trial Court 23, The Four Courts
3) PIT STOP PLOUGHSHARES TRIAL DAY 9 (J19)
4) PIT STOP PLOUGHSHARES TRIAL DAY 8 (J18)
As above report
5) JEB BUSH IN TOWN (DUBLIN) FRIDAY 12 NOON CONRAD HOTEL
Death penalty enthusiast, brother of George Junior and possibly future Pesident of the United States of America, Jeb Bush, is coming to Dubin this Friday to speak at Conrad Hotel
hosted by Meteor. A variety of anti-war & human rights groups
are organising criticalreceptions. AY are hosting a noise demonstration at 12 noon
Conrads Hotel, Earlsfort Tce 12noon
Check lnk for map and more info
http://www.indymedia.ie/article/77238 IAWM, NGO Peace Allaince & PANA kick off their protest at 12.30pm.
6) PRISON SOLIDARITY WORKSHOP HELD
Following the conclusion of the court scene of Trial Day 7 (J17). Pitstops & solidarity activsts gathered at the Franciscan Church opposite to the Four Courts to
a) Share experiences of prison & solidarity
b) Reflect on how we can support our present anti-war prisoners (both civilaian & military
c) Discuss how we can best support anti-war activists (present company excluded hopefully) during future prison time.
a) Kathy reflected on her approx 2 years of U.S. County Jaisl & Fed Prison time in the U.S. & the experience of being hogtied (www.soaw.org archives)
-Carmen (NYCW) on being set up by the NYPD for assault & a week in Rikers Island (pop 10,000) & receent experience of The Tombs (NYC)
-Martin on his 2 years in Rikers & 2 years in English prisons.
-Fr. Martin on his 4 months in Bedford Prison & 2 months in Belmarsh (London) max security.
-Scott on nights in police stations & a night in the Milton Keynes supermax.
-Eamonn on being bashed in police custody.(Ireland)
-Karen, Deirdre & Damien (Pitstops) on their time in Limerick Prison (www.peaceontrial.com).
-Justin on 6 months in Mountjoy Prison in the ' 70's (Ireland)
-Ciaron on his 13 months (USA) in Texas & New York County Jails & Louissiana & Oklahoma Fed Pens ("Bomber Grounded, Runway Closed", Rose Hill Books USA 1993), 5 months in Darwin Jail & short stints in Boggo Rd. (Brisbane) max security n the '80's. How prison solidarity work contributed to the closure of that barbaric prison. (Australia)
-Fintan on his 60 days in Limerick Prison following outbreak of the war (Ireland).
-Teresa (www.stpatricksfour.org) on her recent release from 4 months in U.S. County Jail & Fed Detention.(USA)
b) Solidarity from the outside anti-war movement was seen as basic to sustain the imprisoned anti-war resister & make it safer from attacks by prison staff & hostile (proactive minority,usually younger, fellow prisoners.) Acknowledgement as anti-war resistance grows within the militaries & civil society there will be more anti-war prisoners.
The "Prison Addresses" section of the following website was recommended as the best source for updated prison addresses primarily for U.S. anti-war prisoners & some internationals.
www.jonahhouse.org
c) Proposals & Suggestions
-that a group of 4 (Joe, Dave, Cathy, Fintan) be set up immediately if Ireland gets 5 new anti-war activist prisoners real soon! The 4 would coordinate outreach to sympathetic groups to politicise the imprisonment as a resistance to the war, nourish the activists in terms of the basics (visits, money for stamps, support during crisis etc), vigils (weekly at Mountjoy, monthly at Irish embassies), sustain the website (imprisoned activists encouraged to write reflections on war & custody).
-Similar solidarity collectives to be set up in Australia, England, Poland Scotland, U.S.
-to ask folks to do what they do best for the imprisoned resisters (punk musos & gig organisers to do benefits, artists to do posters, stickers, writers to wrote articles publicisng the incarceration as statements against ongoing Irish complicity in the war, walkers to walk, vigillers to vigil, priests to celebrate mass outside the jails, samba folks to make some noise outside the jails etc. Eamonn to finally finish his film!
7) INTERNATIONAL CALL FOR SOLIDARITY VIGILS ON JULY 5TH. AT IRISH EMBASSIES, CONSULS & SITES OF SIGNIFICANCE FOR FRIDAY JULY 21ST. (VERDICT DAY)
At our past court appearances solidarity vigils against ongoing Irish complicity in the war on Iraq have been held at Irish Embassies & Consuls in Washington DC, New York City, Houston, Melbourne, Vancouver, London, Dili (East Timor), Brussels, Gotenburg,, Auckland. Also solidarity vigils were held at Bishop Romero's grave (El Salvador), the Berlin Gate, US Air Force Base at Christchurch Airport (New Zealand), Shannon Airport, Belfast, Scales of Justice statue Brisbane, statue in Budapest and an Irish theme bar in Amsterdam.
Before our first trial in march last year, a group of nonviolent activists staged a solidarity sit in at the Irish Embassy in London. This scored a lot of media attention as it was such a "man bites dog story" after 30 years of Irish protests at British Embassies, we have a crew that stages a British protest at an Irish Embassy!
This first week of our 3rd. trial saw solidarity vigils at the Irish Embassy in Washington DC & London, at the irish Consulate in Melbourne, the Scales of Justice statue in Brisbane & the Irish tourist bureau in Belfast. This coming week will see solidarity vigil at the Irish Embassy in Warsaw.
Photos & reports of the solidarity vigils that have taken place can be found on the day 1 of Pit Stop Ploughshares Trial feature on
www.indymedia.ie
*London & Oxford catholic Workers have maintained a daily solidarity vigil outside the Irish Embassy in London during our 2nd. week of trial.
*Anti-War ireland & Friends have sustained regular vigils & leafletting in Belfast.
*Dublin Playwrite & thespian Donal O'Kelly will dedicate his performance of "The Cambria" in Kinsale this Thursday night to the Pit Stop Ploughsares 5.
*David Rovics is dedicating his song " Who Would Jesus Bomb?" to the Pit Stop Ploughshares 5 at his gigs on his present tour of England & Ireland.
*English comedian Mark Thomas devoted his encore at recent Dublin gig to the Pit Stop Ploughshares 5.
*Melbourne Vigil Photos & report
http://www.indymedia.ie/article/77054?author_name=Paul&...57690 *Photos & report from solidarity vigil held outside the irish Embassy in Warsaw, Poland.
http://poland.indymedia.org/pl/2006/07/21903.shtml If you have friends travelling or living in other parts of the world. Approach them to stage a solidarity vigil on the first day of our trail at an Irish Embassy or Consul. Have them email us about their gathering'
The list of consuls & embassies, can be found on the link below.........
Related Link:
http://foreignaffairs.gov.ie/embassies/?m=e 8) REPORTS, PHOTOS & DEBATES ARISING FROM KATHY KELLY/JIMMY MASSEY PUBLIC MEETINGS IN DUBLIN, CORK, GALWAY & BELFAST
"
Reports, Photos & Debates arising continued on
http://www.indymedia.ie/article/77230 9) SAT. JULY 22ND. DAVID ROVICS TO PLAY BENEFIT GIG FOR PIT STOP PLOUGHSHARES IN DUBLIN
"The Bull & Castle" (opposite Christchurch Cathedral" at the top of Dame St.)
5-7 Lord Edward St.
Christchurch D2
Dublin
*ENTRY by donation
10) PINE GAP CREW GO TO TRIAL IN ALICE SPRINGS KICKS OFF OCT 3RD.
Catholic Workers & Friends called "Christians Against All Terrorism" were arrested and charged aftercarrying out a citizen's inspection of CIA/NSA Pine Gap warfighting sattelite base near isolated Alice Springs in December go to trial in October. Trial occurs on the 20th. anniversary of Pope John Paul 2nd.'s historic visit to Alice Springs. (pop 20,000 in the dead centre of Australia!)
www.pinegap6.org
http://sydney.indymedia.org/node/37813 11) "FAIRFORD/B52 FIVE" GO TO TRIAL SEPT 4TH.-18TH. IN BRISTOL CROWN COURT, ENGLAND
Five folks go to trial in Bristol Crown Court in October facing charges from 3 disarmament & attempted disarmament actions at U.S. Air Force B52 Base in Fairford, England. Actions took place in lead up to out invasion of Iraq.
http://bristol.indymedia.org/newswire.php?story_id=25213 12) INTERNATIONAL SUPPORTERS COMING TO TRIAL & HOSPITALITY NEEDS
As we go into the second week of trial we are understandably losing a lot of our international supporters who have been working fulltime on trial support & understandably have to return home. 2 1/2 more London CW's left last this morning, our 2 New York CW's have extended thir stay until Monday. Jimmy Massey left Tuesday. Kathy Kelly leaves Saturday. We grow more dependant on local support rising to the occasion.
*If you are planning to come to trial and need help with accomodation please mail
ploughsharesireland@yahoo.ie We can't guarantee accomodation if you turn up spontaneously, so please email us first if you need help with accomodation.
*If you are based in Dublin and can offer a bed or floor space to an international peace activist please mail us and state for which dates you can offer accomodation
ploughsharesireland@yahoo.ie 13) TRIAL DONATION DETAILS
PLEASE CONSIDER MAKING A DONATION TO TRIAL EXPENSES:
You can do so by donating in the following ways.......
"Ploughshares Defence Fund"
134 Phibsborough Rd.
Dublin 7
IRELAND
Donations can be lodged at any
Bank of Ireland branch:
"Ploughshares Defence Fund"
Account No. 80965573 Sort Code 900551
*If you are in the U.S. and wish to donate, please make cheques payable to
"Kim Driscoll"
2400 Tuna Canyon Rd.
Topanga
CA. 90290
USA
Ploughshares Support
Homepage:
http://www.peaceontrial.com