LAST UPDATE | 10 mins ago
TWO PEOPLE WERE arrested at a protest in Co Clare against the use of Shannon Airport by the US military.
Both people were arrested in relation to public order incidents at the airport this afternoon.
There was a large garda presence ahead of today’s event with local members from the amalgamated Clare and Tipperary divisions backed up by Garda Public Order Unit officers from Clare, Limerick, Tipperary and Cork.
From early this morning, one lane of the N19 main road into Shannon Airport was closed while gardaí checked vehicles including buses before they were allowed continue to the airport.
Only intending passengers, airport and industrial estate workers or those with business in the airport were allowed continue past the checkpoints.
Traffic was redirected off the N19 through the Shannon Industrial Estate and via a number of checkpoints before reaching the airport. This ensured that access to the airport could be maintained throughout the protest.
There has been a renewed focus on the use of the airport by US military planes in the last year due to the conflict in Gaza and the United States’ support of Israel.
Since the war in Gaza began in October 2023, the US has spent a record of at least $17.9 billion (about €16.3 billion) on military aid to Israel.
All roads into Shannon Airport are officially closed!
— Jimi Cullen (@jimicullenmusic) October 12, 2024
Ireland stands with Palestine & Lebanon 🇵🇸🇱🇧#USMilitaryOutOfShannon pic.twitter.com/ff0nnfrHXB
Today’s protest was organised by pro-Palestinian groups including Shannonwatch, Cairde Palestine Belfast and Mothers Against Genocide.
A number of politicians were present at today’s demonstration including independent MEP Luke ‘Ming’ Flanagan and People Before Profit TD Richard Boyd Barrett.
The exact size of the crowd has not been confirmed, but PBP estimated that thousands of people attended. Many demonstrators carried Palestinian and Lebanese flags.
Thousands upon thousands descending on Shannon. US Military Out! #descendonshannon pic.twitter.com/fmi7BiNT5F
— People Before Profit (@pb4p) October 12, 2024
#DescendOnShannon 🇵🇸 pic.twitter.com/mJpwLF8MCP
— Luke 'Ming' Flanagan (@lukeming) October 12, 2024
Earlier this month, Boyd Barrett asked the Taoiseach why the Government doesn’t “ban all flights carrying weapons through Shannon Airport”.
“Why does it refuse to condemn the United States for continuing to provide the missiles and weapons that Israel is using in Lebanon and has used against the people of Gaza?,” he asked Simon Harris.
In response, Harris said Ireland has a “very clear” position in relation to “breaches of international law”.
“We are very clear in relation to the ICJ ruling and in relation to the actions we took arising from that ruling in the context of defence equipment.
“Please do not attempt to misrepresent the Government of the people of Ireland in terms of our position in relation to this.”
Israel began pounding Gaza shortly after suffering its worst ever attacks from Iran-backed Hamas militants on 7 October last year, and it launched a ground offensive against Hezbollah in Lebanon on 30 September.
Over 1,200 people have been killed in Lebanon since 23 September, and more than a million people have fled their homes.
Israel’s offensive in Gaza has killed more than 42,000 Palestinians, according to local health authorities, who say women and children make up more than half of the fatalities.
Around 1.9 million people – nine in 10 Gazans – have been displaced at least once in the last year.
Some 1,200 people were killed by Hamas in Israel on 7 October 2023 and 251 people were taken hostage – around 90 of whom remain unaccounted for.
Contains reporting from Pat Flynn and © AFP 2024
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