Shannon protest: Over 1,000 people staged a protest at Shannon airport to mark the arrival of President Bush last night, amidst some of the tightest security ever seen in the State.
A heavy Garda presence, including the Garda helicopter and mounted unit, ensured that the good-natured protest remained out of sight of President Bush as Airforce One landed.
No arrests were made at the protest. However, more than 60 gardaí erected a human cordon - supported by concrete barriers - at the Drumgeely flats to prevent the protesters from going within one mile of the airport terminal.
After hearing that President Bush had landed safely, the crowd - bedecked with peace banners and a large Iraqi flag - chanted "No More Bush" a number of times.
Labour TD Ms Jan O'Sullivan said: "George Bush, if you are over there, can we tell you, you are not welcome, we do not want your war." President Bush she said "is not a peacemaker, he is a warmaker and has made the world a more dangerous place".
Assembling at a car park in Shannon town centre earlier, the number of protester quickly swelled to over 1,000 as many young local families joined the march.
In the run-up to the protest four people were arrested in two separate incidents, while gardaí confiscated balloons and helium during a search of a peace camp on the outskirts of the town, and of a local apartment.
Last night, a heavy Garda contingent supervised the demonstrators as they walked for just over a mile to the Drumgeely roundabout, where an 8 ft high metal security fence barred entry into the airport grounds.
Almost 100 uniformed officers, with a large squad of riot gardaí hidden in reserve in case of trouble, were also at the entrance to meet the protesters, as helicopters circled overhead.
Two water cannons were also at the gate, hidden from view.
There had been a heavy Garda presence in the town centre although there were less than 50 protesters for most of the afternoon. They congregated in the terrace outside the local Shannon Knights pub until the demonstration began after 6 p.m.
Residents of Shannon town, who had previously been concerned about the potential disruption to the Anti-War Ireland protest, also joined the march, and marshalled their own security section.
Locals said the barriers and the size of the Garda security operation was unnecessary.
Newly elected Euro MEP Ms Kathy Sinnott was on the march last night. She said: "I'm not here out of protest, I am here for neutrality."
Peace activist Ms Caoimhe Butterly, who has spent eight months in Iraq since the war began last year, told protesters that today was International Day to Commemorate Victims of Torture.
"The fact that George Bush will be in Ireland tomorrow is a great irony given the recent revelations from Abu Ghraib Prison," she said.
Three anti-war activists arrested yesterday were remanded on bail at a special sitting of Ennis District Court last night by Judge Joseph Mangan to re-appear before the court on July 9th.
The three were charged with public order offences and failing to obey the order of a garda.
They were arrested after their small craft approached an exclusion zone on the Shannon estuary near the airport.
Led by former Army officer, Mr Edward Horgan, the three launched a 12 foot open boat from Bunratty in an attempt to reach Bush island on the estuary, where they had planned to unfurl a large anti-Bush banner, which could have been seen from the airport.
"I am using my constitutional right to protest on land and water," Mr Horgan told The Irish Times before he took to the water.
As part of his bail conditions, Mr Horgan was ordered not to go within five miles of Shannon, while his two co-accused had 20-mile exclusion orders imposed upon them for the duration of the Bush visit.
A naval vessel intercepted the boat approaching the exclusion zone around the airport, and arrested the three occupants under the 1996 Harbours Act.
They were taken to Foynes and their boat towed away by the naval vessel.
A 35-year-old woman, who was arrested at Shannon airport under the Offensive Weapons Act, was also charged at the same sitting.
Gardaí say the woman was arrested after she was found to be carrying an implement, deemed to be dangerous, as she came off a flight.
She was also remanded on bail to re-appear before Ennis District Court on July 9th.