Film by RoJ
On Monday July 25th Afri and friends gathered in Dublin to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the acquittal of the Pitstop Ploughshares on charges of $US 2.5 million criminal damage of a U.S. Navy War Plane at Shannon Airport en route to the 2003 invasion of Iraq.
We were joined by Damien Moran, Deirdre Clancy and Ciaron O’Reilly of the Pitstops and Peace Activist Kathy Kelly – an eyewitness to both the 1991 and Shock and Awe of 2003 in Iraq. Kathy had also initiated the sanctions busting ‘Voices in the Wilderness’ movement in the 1990s. Artist Seamus Nolan displayed the Pitstop hammers, playwright Donal O’Kelly read from his new play dealing with military whistleblowers, and the “Chelsea Manning Support Band” – comprising Joe Black, Paul O’Toole, Robbie Synnot and RoJ – performed. Harry Browne, author of the book Hammered by the Irish, and members of the Pitstop legal team were also in attendance.
The theme of the event was “The Resistance Continues” which was enhanced by the presence and speeches of Dave Donnellan and Colm Roddy both of whom are presently awaiting trial for a recent trespass action at Shannon Airport. Calls for solidarity with Julian Assange and Chelsea Manning were also made. Those who gathered included folks from Afri, Veterans for Peace Ireland, Young Christian Workers and many who had accompanied the Pitstops through their 3 trials at the Four Courts 2005-06.
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