*Photograph: Joe Buckley
EIGHT people were arrested during a protest at Shannon Airport and are due to appear in court at a later date after they were charged.
A protest had been organised by the Ireland Palesinte Solidarity Campaign against the use of Shannon Airport by the US military. The group believes flights carrying arms to Israel are transiting through the airport for use in Israel’s wars in Gaza and Lebanon.
Four men and four women ranging in age from 21 to 56 were arrested during the protest for offences contrary to the Criminal Justice (Public Order) Act 1994. All eight individuals have been charged and are due to appear before the District Court at a later date.
In advance of the protest, An Garda Síochána put in place a policing plan for Sunday’s protest. A large security operation saw Gardaí gathering from early in the morning for a briefing before they were assigned to various locations across Shannon including the main N19 approach road leading up to the airport and across Shannon Industrial Estate.
A spokesperson for An Garda Síochána told The Clare Echo, “Ireland is a constitutional democracy and there is a constitutional right for citizens to express freely their convictions and opinions and to assemble peaceably, subject to statutory provisions. An Garda Síochána respects the right of citizens to exercise their constitutional rights; exercising such rights does not extend to committing breaches of statutory law. An Garda Síochána has no further comment at this time”.
Subsequent to the arrests, a small group of protestors made their way to Shannon Garda Station and unsuccessfully attempted to enter the station.
No flights were delayed as a result of the protest, a spokesperson for Shannon Airport confirmed to The Clare Echo. “We are pleased to confirm that throughout the protest, there were no disruptions to airport operations. An Garda Síochána implemented planned road diversions, which allowed passengers to access the airport without issue. Passengers had been advised via the airport’s social media channels in the days leading up to the event to allow extra time for their journey. All flights at the airport operated on schedule, and there were no delays or cancellations as a result of the event”.
