Workers Solidarity Movement

The Workers Solidarity Movement congratulates the Pitstop Ploughshares 5 on their victory in court, and congratulates the jury who delivered a verdict which placed a greater value on Iraqi lives than on US warplanes.

Scenes of great joy and relief at the Dublin Four Courts as the Catholic Workers/Pitshops ploughshare five were acquitted of all charges.

Image - Karen and supporter after the acquittal

Three and a half years ago, 5 members of Catholic Worker/Pitstop ploughshares damaged a US warplane stationed at Shannon Airport in Ireland.

Image - Procession to the court on the last day of the trial 

Just over 150 people marched down to HMS Ocean to protest the presence of this British warship which was involved in the invasion of Iraq in Dublin port Thursday June 29. Although some will be disappointed with this turnout in reality it was a significant number for a wet mid week demonstration. Also on the positive side there was a real effort to overcome some of the divisions that have characterised the anti-war movement.

Around thirty people attended an Anarchist meeting, in Cork, on war and the ongoing use of Shannon Airport for US military purposes.

Sunday April 18th saw the Irish government mark the 90th anniversary of the Easter 1916 insurrection against British imperialism. Some 120,000 turned out to watch a military parade and a fly past. To coincide with the event anti-war activists, most of them anarchists were making their way to Baldonnel airbase which has been used by USA hercules military planes and has been involved in CIA torture flights.

Sunday April 16 saw the Irish government mark the 90th anniversary of the Easter 1916 insurrection against British imperialism. Some 120,000 turned out to watch a military parade and a fly past. To coincide with the event anti-war activists, most of them anarchists, were making their way to Baldonnel airbase where the planes and helicopters involved in the fly past took off from. This airbase has been used by USA Hercules military planes and has been involved in CIA torture flights.

This March marks the third anniversary of the invasion of Iraq. Everyday we see the result; bombings, killings, torture and other atrocities. There are no reliable estimates for those who have died but most put the figure at 100,000 or higher. It’s clear that the invasion didn’t help the people of Iraq and it is equally clear that the occupation is making the situation worse.

As part of the international day of protest which saw dozens of anti-war marches around the world anarchists in Ireland took part in the Dublin march.

James Massey is a tall well built man, aged 34. At the age of 19 he joined the US Marines. In Iraq he saw his first combat. He has left the army and has written an account of his experiences entitled "Kill, Kill, Kill". He visited Dublin to give evidence at the trial of the Pitstop Ploughshares and during this time Dermot Screenan interviewed him.