Politicians and trade unions have gathered together to protest against the visit of US President George W Bush's to Ireland this Saturday.
The Government which "turned Shannon into a US air force base" received its response from the people in the recent European and local elections, a group of Independent TDs said earlier today.
The four TDs and Mr Roger Cole of The Peace and Neutrality Alliance (PANA) were speaking this morning at a press conference highlighting opposition to the visit of US President Geroge W Bush to Ireland this weekend.
Dr Gerry Cowley called on the Taoiseach to end his "duplicity" and to come out and prove the comments he made last year that he was with the people on the anti-war march in Dublin.
"Let him now prove that he is with the people on the march," Dr Cowley said. "The Irish people need to shun President Bush" he added.
Mr Finian McGrath challenged the Tánaiste on the use of Shannon by US forces on their way to Iraq. "She is breach of article 28,3.1 of the Constitution," he said. He also said the Government should be "reflecting its own independent foreign policy line."
Mr Tony Gregory said he felt the world was a more dangerous place since Mr Bush became president. "I regard Bush as a warmonger," he said adding that if Mr Bush was president of an Eastern European or South American country the US itself would be calling for a war crimes tribunal.
"I object to him using this neutral country as part of his campaign for re-election," he added.
Mr Seamus Healy said Mr Bush's visit was "particularly unwelcome" and he saw it as an attempt to "corral the Irish-American vote".
"Any attempt to allign this country to Bush's policies is an anathema to me," Mr Healy added.
Mr Cole said the vote against "Fianna Bush" in the recent elections and the demonstrations this weekend "will show that there are Irish people who do not want to kill and die for Bush, Blair and Bertie".
"Every single march organised by the stop Bush Campaign has been extremely democratic and extremely peaceful," Mr Cole added.
However he said that the apparatus of the State was being used to suppress news of the protests.
"We weren't allowed to hold a picnic in the park because we obviously were going to overthrow the State with sandwiches", Mr Cole said.
PANA has organised a demonstration this Friday in Parnell Square, Dublin at 7 p.m. and another in Drumoland, Co Clare, at 10 a.m. on Saturday. He said buses will be leaving from Cork and Limerick at 6 a.m. on Saturday morning and will cost around €10.
Mr Richard Boyd Barrett, Chairperson of the Irish Anti War Movement also complained what he said was a restriction to exercise the right to protest.
"Our posters have been systematically torn down, the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland has banned our radio ads, the Gardai has harassed our activists and immigration police held an Iraqi visitor in Dublin Airport who came to speak at a IAWM public meeting. All of the latter are a deliberate & sinister move by a Government desperate to appease George Bush and facilitate his election campaign later this year rather than respect the opinions of the vast majority of the peoples of this country." Mr Boyd Barrett said.
Green Party Foreign Affairs spokesperson Mr John Gormley is expected to speak at the demonstration in Parnell Square, while Councillor Brian Meaney of Clare County Council and Councillor Donal O'Béarra, Ennis Town Council plan to attend the main demonstration in Shannon on Saturday.
The Workers' Party urged those opposed to the US war in Iraq and the use of Shannon Airport for refuelling US military planes to turn out for the various demonstrations being organised.
Meanwhile following a meeting of its Executive General Council the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) said Mr Bush "has done untold damage, both to the American people and to the world" and called him a "menace".
"We cannot accord to him the welcome that would normally be due to the leader of a country with which we have a close affinity". ICTU said in a statement.
The Union of Students in Ireland (USI) has said it also supports the Anti-Bush demonstrations.
