“We are united by dissatisfaction, rebellion, the desire to do something, by non-conformity”- Zapatistas’

My first encounter on route to the Shannon airport base came the previous night when the public bus I was travelling on was pulled over by the repressive forces of the Irish State and two coloured people were blatantly singled out and ordered to show some form of ID to the Garda and Immigration Control. I raised an objection to this degrading form of institutionalised racism and was angrily told “shut your mouth up”. As most people are aware this is a frequent occurrence on public transport when crossing the border. It is also the essence of a militarised Fortress Europe and all its weapons of repression and isolation.

The next morning a couple of buses left from Liberty Hall in Dublin including the UCD bus which I travelled on. Despite the heavy police presence and thorough search of buses just outside Shannon we managed to safely arrive at our destination. There were at least 600 on the main blockade comprising a variety of political groupings who felt collective direct action was the most positive and effective method of showing opposition to the occupation of Iraq and US military refuelling at Shannon. I decided to go with the ‘Black bloc’ contingent which was much more liberating, creative and empowering then just marching from A to B and then going back home. The struggle for freedom and liberty must be through the school of freedom!

As we arrived we realised there would be an unpredictably tough battle ahead due to the repressive police measures – but they never managed to break our determination for human passion and liberty.

Our original plan was to get as close to the perimeter fence as possible but although attempts were made this proved to be unsuccessful on the day. There were around 100 on the bloc made up of Grassroots Network against the War (GNAW) who separated into affinity groups with maps of the area, which facilitated grassroots democracy and autonomous direct action. As we marched from Aldi to the first roundabout we decided to go into the woodland beside us to evade the cops but that failed because it left us back at square one although it was an amusing and adventurous journey. On the main road to Shannon warport, we attempted several times to get behind the Garda cordon by going into more woodland and trying to get into the nearby industrial estate but without success.

Food not Bombs were out in force which provided us with energy in order to keep our resistance and blockade sustained for a couple of hours.

However, despite the small set backs the main route to Shannon was successfully blockaded for several hours. The Garda attempted to provoke the bloc several times by driving into us but they had to withdraw. Minor scuffles broke out with the police and the bloc played quite an efficient role in de-arresting people. Some cars tried to pass us urged on by the police but had to turn back – especially when a brave woman in a wheelchair put her body in the way. Some enthusiastic youths from the local community got involved in the blockade that was good to see as some people looked upon us with hostility. The heavy police presence prevented more effective direct action as well as conservative elements of the IAWM who basically told us to conform to the ‘reformist’ rules of a blockade (i.e. march from A to B say a few words and march back again) and don’t carry out any action that might damage “their” credibility and prestige.
Overall the profile of the Irish Governments assistance of the US war machine at Shannon warport has been kept in the limelight and hopefully with more experience, co-operation and collective direct action this aiming and abetting of the US will be brought to an abrupt end. The anti-Blair/Bush/Bertie disease must be eliminated as it is reactive as well as self-defeating and only diverts attention from the real causes of these barbaric wars of plunder, which is capitalism. They all must go including the authoritarian system which arms, finances, supports and gives them so much bloody power!

Sean