An anti-Gulf War demonstrator who is on hunger strike in Limerick prison after refusing to accept a bail condition not to enter Co Clare has lost a High Court application for his release under Article 40 of the Constitution.
Eoin Rice (34), who is from Co Down, has been on hunger strike for the past 13 days after being remanded in custody by Judge Joseph Mangan at Corofin District Court on February 11th to Ennis District Court tomorrow, February 27th. He refused to enter a condition of bail requiring him to remain outside Co Clare until then.
Mr Rice is charged in relation to offences alleged to have occurred at the time of an anti-war protest at Shannon airport on December 6th last.
He is charged with dangerous driving at the airport viewing area and causing an obstruction under the Public Order Act.
Yesterday, an application was made by lawyers for Mr Rice to the President of the High Court, Mr Justice Finnegan, for his release from Limerick prison under Article 40. It was claimed that he was unlawfully detained and that the District Court order remanding him in custody should be quashed. The respondent to the Article 40 proceedings was the prison governor.
Refusing the application, Mr Justice Finnegan indicated Mr Rice could make a bail application in the High Court on Monday next or bring an application for judicial review. About 30 supporters of Mr Rice were in court
and clapped and cheered him as he left.
The Peace and Neutrality Alliance, in a statement handed out outside the court, said the peaceful protest at the Four Courts was in solidarity with Mr Rice and in protest at US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld's "abuse of Irish neutrality and the silence from Dail Eireann".
It referred to newspaper photographs of Mr Rumsfeld addressing uniformed US troops in a public area of the Shannon Airport terminal building last weekend.