Group calls off Phoenix Park protest

Anti-capitalist protesters have called off a planned march to Farmleigh House in Dublin's Phoenix Park this evening, blaming gardaí for effectively banning the rally.

Protest organisers Dublin Grassroots Network, which is holding a series of other demonstrations in the capital today, said the closure of the Phoenix Park as part of an extensive security operation for the visit of EU leaders to the city, amounted to "the first time a march has been banned in Ireland since the Dublin Lockout in 1913".

A spokeswoman for the group, Ms Aileen O'Carroll, said supporters were instead being urged to demonstrate outside the GPO on O'Connell Street at 6 p.m. today "in defence of people's right to protest and their civil liberties".

However, as not everyone who intended to protest would learn of this change in plan, "there will be large numbers of isolated people, attempting to make their way to Parkgate Street and meeting riot police," she said.

"We have been saying for some time now that the Government, gardaí and media were advertising a riot with scare stories about the Farmleigh march.

"We are now very concerned that these measures have created a riot situation," Ms O'Carroll added.

More than 5,000 gardaí and 2,500 members of the Defence Forces have been deployed to ensure the security of the Day of Welcomes, which culminates in a flag-raising ceremony at Áras an Uachtaráin and a state banquet at Farmleigh this evening.

Members of the public are also being encouraged to join in celebratory events at Merrion Square in Dublin and in 10 towns and cities throughout the State, each one of which has been "twinned" with an accession state.

Major Dublin city-centre traders have said they plan to remain open for business tomorrow, despite scheduled demonstrations at Grafton Street, Dame Street, and Wood Quay by a range of left-wing and anti-globalisation activists, including members of a London-based campaign called the Wombles.

Mr Martin Harte, of Temple Bar traders' group TASQ, said none of its members had signalled any intention to close. "We hope it will be a good weekend for all the right reasons, and we will have large crowds of large-spending tourists, and not misguided Wombles," Mr Harte said.

Meanwhile, the Irish Nurses' Organisation criticised hospital managers for failing to roster additional nursing and support staff to cover accident and emergency wards over the weekend, despite being told by gardaí to prepare for extra demand.

A rally in Liberty Hall organised by the group "Another Europe is possible" and attended by a crowd of about 200 heard claims that the State was determined "to demonise and break our movement for fear of massive protests". The American activist Susan George was among speakers who urged a peaceful protest "against the evil empire".