Clearly, or more than likely, the work of Republican or Nationalist rebels (and therefore probably not in any way directly 'related' to anti-globalisation 'trends' or groups), the incident underlines the already tense situation in occupied Ireland and the massive 'police presence' mentioned in the article is linked directly to the up coming G8 summit, which is still many months away and gives clues to those attending counter summits and protests as to the extent of what the state response is likely to be.

Naturally, we know that all the stops are pulled out at the G8's, from surface to air missile batteries to sound-guns, from thousands of 'extra' police to full military personnel with fully armed weapons, tanks, dogs, horses, you name it, we've seen it all in the last couple of decade.

The interesting thing about the holding of the G8 in occupied Ireland is that there is already an ongoing war against the PSNI (cops), with multiple attacks and attempted attacks on police targets in the last few years, including shootings and bombings, arson and riots. Most recently a prison officer was shot dead on his way to work, also thought to be the work of IRA-affiliated, or so called 'dissident'
activists.

So the police will more than likely be expecting a rise in bomb attempts or shootings in the run up to the summit, they will certainly plan for it and put in place 'counter measures': road blocks, infiltration to sympathetic campaign groups, massive police presence, raids on known activists...the usual scenario. However this time they could, and probably will, use the threat of 'real terrorism' (as they see it) to target anti-globalisation activists in Dublin and Belfast. Just these past few months the PSNI were given millions of extra funding for the police operation. On top of up to 3,000 UK police (from england, scotland and wales) volunteering for 'action' during the summit (BBC 26/02/13) the PSNI, which stated this would be their 'biggest ever operation', is 'gearing up', a reaction we have witness many times in all the police states of the world before a big summit. Most conveniently for them, the police use this build up and presence during the summit to actively and wantonly suppress any dissent, peaceful or otherwise.

This 'battle ground', as they will create, is therefore to set the scene for whatever the anti-G8 protestors will muster, whether they come from abroad or from within occupied Ireland itself. Various groups are planning to descend on the summit, from what I can gather, and some groups will be targeting London and I am sure other cities around the globe. But it is interesting to see that already the police in the area are faced with 'incidents' that will test their resolve to allow the summit to pass off 'peacefully'.


I am sure, and I guess my admittedly loaded words won't help to paint this picture, that the days of Genoa, Prague and Seattle are long and truly gone: the system has learnt hard and well from the past to ever let us get a hold on the streets like we did in those days.

However, in a place like occupied Ireland, the home to repression and insurgency for a few centuries shy of a thousand years, the G8 really is puffing out it's chest and saying 'we will go where we want to do our business'.

I just wonder if anyone, group or individual has plans to mess up THEIR plans in a spectacular fashion.

Oh to dream...

And remembrance of those lost during our battles, for Carlos...