Judge bans anti-war activist from Co Clare

A 40-year-old anti-war activist was yesterday banned from entering Co Clare for two years after pleading guilty to using threatening, abusive and insulting behaviour to a garda at an anti-war protest at Shannon Airport in December, 2001.

Judge Joseph Mangan made the order and also fined Ms Rebecca Garcia, the Boat Yard, Baltimore, Skibbereen, Co Cork €500.

Judge Mangan told Ms Garcia that "those who profess to seek peace in the world should begin to behave peacefully".

Ms Garcia, along with 75 other anti-war protesters, gathered in Shannon on December 15th, 2001, to protest at US military planes refuelling at the airport during the bombing of Afghanistan.

Garda Margaret Kelly told Tulla District Court that gardaí were outnumbered by protesters on the day and she noticed that one man was trying to pull down the perimeter fence.

Away from the main crowd, Garda Kelly said that Ms Garcia stood in her way and would not move. Garda Kelly told the court that Ms Garcia "was very aggressive towards me and I felt very threatened".

Garda Kelly said that Ms Garcia was waving her hands in the air resulting in Ms Garcia knocking off Garda Kelly's hat.

Garda Kelly then told the court that a number of Ms Garcia's colleagues gathered around her and were pulling and dragging at her. Garda Kelly said that Ms Garcia gave her name when advised to do so by a colleague.

Garda Kelly said: "I was totally isolated from my colleagues and was very insulted by what Ms Garcia said to me."

The court heard that Ms Garcia called Garda Kelly "stupid" in the incident.

In evidence, Ms Garcia - who is unemployed - said that she had heard of US troops going through Shannon, but when she and other protesters saw 350 troops coming off an aircraft it shocked everyone there.

Ms Garcia said: "We were very angry when we saw this and I felt quite powerless." Her solicitor, Mr Declan Keating, told the court that Ms Garcia was at Shannon Airport on the day purely out of humanitarian concern.

He said: "She didn't set out to confront the garda.

"She was there to exercise her democratic right to protest at the refuelling of US planes at Shannon, but things got out of hand.

"What happened was entirely inexcusable."

Mr Keating asked Judge Mangan not to convict Ms Garcia as she wishes to join her three sisters in Columbia shortly and a conviction would make securing a visa difficult.

Gardaí earlier withdrew an assault charge on Garda Kelly against Ms Garcia.

Judge Mangan fined Ms Garcia €500 and ordered her to enter a bond to keep the peace for two years and not to enter County Clare during that time.

After the case, Ms Garcia declined to say if she is going to appeal the judge's ruling to the Circuit Court.