May Day protesters vow to fight clampdown

May Day protesters vowed today to campaign against plans to clampdown on demonstrations due to coincide with EU enlargement ceremonies…

May Day protesters vowed today to campaign against plans to clampdown on demonstrations due to coincide with EU enlargement ceremonies.

Anti-war protesters intending to stage a march and carnival in Dublin on May 1st held a meeting with gardaí today to discuss their plans.

The coalition, which includes Green Party MEP Ms Patricia McKenna, expressed frustration that their plans for a peaceful demonstration had been thwarted.

The Another Europe is Possible alliance had intended to march from the city centre to Phoenix Park where there would be music and a carnival to celebrate multiculturalism.

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But they were told today the grounds would be closed off to the public for security reasons. The EU ceremonies will take place at Farmleigh House, within the 1,750-acre park.

Mr Rory Hearne, May Day carnival organiser, claimed protesters had the right to express themselves and to put across their views as close as possible to where the EU leaders were meeting.

"We are very surprised today and we are going to appeal to the Assistant Commissioner to allow us the chance to hold a carnival in the park on the day," he said.  "There's no reason why peaceful protesters can't have a carnival which is bringing up issues of war, racism and corporate greed in front of the leaders of 25 EU states. We should be able to hold our carnival in Phoenix Park. This isn't finished yet."

Ms McKenna said it was in everyone's interests to ensure a peaceful protest. "The hype raised over May Day shows a huge amount of irresponsibility by the establishment in relation  to sending out a message internationally that there is going to be trouble in Dublin," she said.

"We have a duty to ensure that doesn't happen. There is clearly a strategy to hope there will be trouble on May Day so that there are no protests when George Bush arrives in June."

Protesters claimed the hype surrounding May Day was being generated by gardaí in an attempt to intimidate potential demonstrators and warn them away. Gardaí and the army have been preparing for violent clashes and riots on May 1st. All Garda leave has been cancelled, and reports suggest around 4,000 officers will be on duty on the day.

Many will be armed with riot gear and it is claimed water cannons will be used for crowd control if riots break out.  The plans have been condemned by protesters as "heavy-handed".