NO BORDERS MAYDAY WEEKEND - DUBLIN, IRELAND
Friday April 30th to Monday May 3rd

Everyone, regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, or background is welcome to participate or observe these actions happening over the four days. We encourage people to participate to work towards a city, and a Europe, that values people above profit.

Friday April 30th

Critical Mass - mass cycle and walk through the city 5.30 pm, Fri. April 30th, Garden of Remembrance, Parnell Sq
CRITICAL MASS began in San Francisco in 1992 and has since spread around the world. Join us for this celebration of non-motorised transport, as we take a leisurely tour of the city streets, on bikes, skateboards, pogo sticks, or just on foot.

Saturday May 1st (daytime)

No Borders Morning - actions against fortress EU 10 am Saturday May 1st, meet at Civic Offices, Wood Quay

BORDER CONTROLS STREET THEATRE: Welcome to the official day of the new Fortress Europe. Warning: You may be subject to stops by one of the Dublin Grassroots Police Network who will be patrolling the city in the morning. Experience the full reality of Fortress Europe with ID & background checks, verbal harassment, intimidation, and possible imprisonment without trial if you do not measure up to the strict criteria.
WELCOME THE BOAT PEOPLE: Many asylum seekers and refugees attempting to breach the Fortress Europe barrier do so in boats and ships. Upon detection, they are often sent back to their country of origin. This time however, the people arriving by boat will be welcomed. No human being is illegal - everyone should be free to travel and live where they want without fear of persecution.
PUBLIC BEATINGS STREET THEATRE: Europe is reverting to old-style policing and jailing policies. Rather than look at what causes crime and dealing with problems in society, the State increasingly utilises prisons (often in terrible unsanitary condition) as a way of sweeping the issues under the carpet. How long before the stocks and gallows make a return? Today's the day. Come along and watch true medieval punishment methods.

Reclaim The City - anti-privatisation actions 2.30pm Saturday May 1st, Grafton St. (meet at Stephen's Green)

RECLAIM THE CITY: The idea of the "common" or public space is rapidly disappearing from the city, as rich and powerful individuals claim it for private personal use. This action will temporarily reclaim a part of private land, and open it to the public for a picnic and games in the May sunshine.

HOMES NOT JAILS: Dublin expands, swallowing up the countryside. Rents skyrocket and house prices are beyond the reach of many with average incomes. The number of homeless people sleeping on the streets rises every year without any action by the State. Yet all around the city are derelict buildings, crumbling into the ground. This action aims to highlight this appaling situation by occupying one of these buildings and transforming it into a living space.

Saturday May 1st (evening)

Bring The Noise - March to Farmleigh House to let the EU heads of state hear us - bring pots, pans, whistles... 6pm Sat. May 1st, Phoenix Park (meet at Parkgate St./Benburb St.)

BRING THE NOISE! The EU Ministers dine in the opulence of Farmleigh House on Saturday evening at the expense of the Irish taxpayer. We intend to march to their doorstep and disrupt their dinner, to show them that we do not agree with their vision of Fortress Europe! Bring pots and pans, bells and whistles, horns and drums to generate the biggest noise possible. May 1st is historically a day for the ordinary people's wishes to be heard. They have chosen to ignore us but they cannot keep it up if we scream and shout.

Sunday May 2nd

No Borders Camp - Act in solidarity with immigrants 11am Sunday May 2nd, meet at Custom House Quay.

NO BORDERS, NO NATIONS - NO BORDER CAMP: Join us as we set up a No Border camp on the 2nd day of the new Fortress Europe. We are not against the new ascension states citizens coming to Ireland - we think all refugees, asylum seekers and immigrants should be allowed to travel here, regardless of origin, ethnicity, or background. The No Border camp will be open to everyone. Activities will include workshops, discussions, teach-ins, planning for the future, as well as music and food.

Monday May 3rd

Reclaim The Streets - Street Party for a better future 3pm Mon. May 3rd, meet at Ambassador Cinema, O'Connell St.

NO BORDERS RECLAIM THE STREETS: The only party worth joining in town! Reclaim The Streets happens again on the May bank holiday to wind down the weekend. Unlike the State's street party, everyone from around the world is welcome to come to Dublin for this, not just those that satisfy the demands of Fortress Europe. Expect music and dancing, drinking and face painting, a day for all to come and enjoy a vision of the Europe that we really want

Time and date to be announced

BLOOD ON YOUR HANDS: During the war on Iraq, many private and state businesses supported the transport of murderous arms and US troops through Shannon Airport in Ireland. This action will make the public aware of who they are by painting the streets and footpaths around their premises in blood red colour. No war should ever be supported for profit.

THE POLLUTER PAYS: The message during the recent anti bin tax campaign was to tax the polluter. Is the public responsible for waste when companies release their products in layers of unneccesary packaging? How much waste is produced by heavy industry that is not recycled? This actions will be encouraging everyone to bring their recyclable packaging back to the the businesses that produce it.

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Stuff being organised by other groups

Indymedia Ireland has secured a large space in the city centre in Dublin for ten days in the run up to the Mayday No Borders weekend. This will be the Indymedia Centre for the duration of the protests. There will be film screenings, photo exhibitions, practical workshops on creating your own media, and various other events happening from April 22nd onwards. If you are interested in helping set up the centre, or would like to put an event on, please contact the general Indymedia Ireland mailing list at imc-ireland AT lists.indymedia.org

BRING THE NOISE TO FARMLEIGH HOUSE!

Meeting 6pm at Parkgate St/Benburb St

Attention all noisy disaffected people!

Come join the Dublin Grassroots Network march, as we disrupt the salubrious dinner of the heads of state, paid for with OUR taxes! Let warmongers Blair and Berlusconi know that we disagree with their violence & aggression. Let Bertie know that we do not care for his policies of cutbacks, corruption & croneyism. Let the leaders of Fortress Europe know that we do not share their vision of an exclusionary EU superstate - everyone is welcome here, regardless of origin.

Our intention is to have a loud, vociferous and colourful march. We will raise the roof off Farmleigh House with the sounds of our discontent! Please bring saucepan lids and spoons, pots and pans, whistles and kazoos, sound systems & fog horns, musical instruments, drums, and any other noisemaking instruments you can get your hands on.

We intend to get as close to Farmleigh as possible so that those inside can hear our chorus as they eat their expensive fine meals. We have the right to protest - any denial of our right to march is a denial of our civil liberties. The Dublin Grassroots Network march will be lead off by a banner and white flags. If you want to stay with the march, follow the flags.

As it is a relatively long march towards the baron's banquet in Farmleigh House, we will be stopping along the way for food and drink breaks so people can relax and take in the atmosphere of the march. These brief rest points will also act as a brief space to gather information, and to take stock of each situation as it arises.

We want to march to Farmleigh House to express our dissent. We have the right to protest in our own city. If we are stopped by police lines it is our intention to find ways around them.

We respect diversity of methods of protest against Fortress Europe. Dublin is a big city and the Phoenix Park is the largest enclosed city park in Europe. There is room for us all to demonstrate in the way that we choose. If any group or individual wishes to take part in any other activity beyond the guidelines stated here that apply to the Dublin Grassroots Network march, we ask them to split off and separate themselves from the march.

We desire no physical confrontation with the Garda, the Army, or anybody on Mayday - and we never have. We have made all our plans for our No Borders Weekend of actions publicly available for months. We do not intend to use any form of offensive physical confrontation on our march.

The Dublin Grassroots Network march will Bring The Noise to Farmleigh House. We do not want anyone to bring any weapons. People that bring weapons on the march are not welcome to participate and will be asked to leave.

It is everyone's responsibility to ensure the march is a safe and successful event. We are a community and we should all work together towards this end and look after each other's welfare. If you see someone that is acting in an inappropriate, explain to them the nature of this march and suggest that if they want to act outside of this that they first leave the march. Don't start shouting at them, just make sure that someone (if needs be you) approaches them and calmly explains that their behavior is not welcome here. If you don't feel comfortable doing this yourself, talk to the people around you. Take responsibility for the safety of yourself and others around you.

Finally we ask people to join us over the Mayday No Borders weekend. The State has circulated scare stories in the media through unnamed "security sources" to discourage people protesting against injustice and intolerance. Don't believe the hype! You have the right to protest on the streets - this is your city after all, it is not just for the EU bosses and their motorcades.