On Friday April 4, dozens of Irish Republicans and other anti Imperialists held a blockade of the Belgian Embassy in Dublin.
The direct action, organised by Anti Imperialist Action Ireland, was called to protest the unwanted presence of NATO in Ireland, highlight NATO’s central role in the ongoing British Occupation of Ireland and the US Military Occupation of Shannon Airport and to stand in solidarity with the Palestinian People and Resistance, demonstrating how the fight against NATO links the national liberation struggles in Ireland and Palestine.
At 2pm, 6 Anti Imperialists scaled the fence surrounding the Belgian Embassy and took up a very visible position at the top of the steps leading to the main door while more unfurled flags and banners at the front gate. Linking arms at the top of the steps, the Republicans began a symbolic blockade of the Belgian Embassy, which has been quietly serving as the official NATO liaison office in Ireland.
As chants of ‘No to NATO’ echoed around Elgin Road and a crowd began to gather and watch, the Free State Police began to arrive. Aggressive from the first instance, Harris’ stormtroopers troed scaling the gate to confront the Republican Activists, but not before breaking the sensor on the electric gate to the NATO compound.
Free State Launch Violent Attack
Once at the top of the steps, the Gardaí began a violent assault on the Republican activists, using pepper spray at close range, against their own rules, to attack the eyes. Tackling the protestors to the ground, the Republicans continued to defiantly link arms and outlined they were there to resist the presence of NATO in Ireland and had every right to do so.
With more Gardaí now on the scene, the level of Free State Violence was increased. The attack on the Republicans on the steps escalated with pressure points being targeted and in a disgraceful display of open viciousness and demonstrating the threat felt by the Free State from organised Socialist Republicanism, one Republican was placed face down on the steps with his leg pinned up behind his back and a free state thug applied his full weight to the pinned leg on purpose, breaking the Republicans ankle.
At this point the Free Staters were also getting violent with the Republicans outside the gate, and in scenes reminiscent of the attack on Mothers Against Genocide on Monday Morning, women protestors were particularly targeted, with one Republican being sexully assaulted during arrest with a thug in uniform purposely grabbing her breast.
With the Special Branch left red faced that a Republican Direct Action had been pulled off against NATO under their noses in one of the most policed areas of the City, the 6 Republicans arrested at the steps joined two comrades arrested outside the front gate and were loaded into Garda Vans and taken to 3 separate barracks across the city.
Support the Anti- NATO 8!
The majority of those arrested were charged with trespass and some faced a further charge of obstruction.
A short protest was held at Irishtown Station in support of those arrested, before word came that all 8 would appear at a evening sitting of the court, and the call went out for supporters to reconvene at Parkgate St.
As a solidarity protest got underway, the Anti NATO 8 were brought into the dock one by one and given bail on a number of conditions that include staying out of all foreign embassy and government departments, with some comrades given the added condition to stay out of Dublin 4.
Speaking after release, a member of Anti Imperialist Action Ireland said, “Today Republicans and Anti Imperialists made a defiant and dignified stand to resist the presence of NATO in Ireland and to highlight its role in the Occupation of our country and of Palestine.
That dignified protest was confronted by a violent attack by the Free State Police, which has resulted in serious injury, in order to intimidate and attempt to prevent future protests. Such tactics will never work against Republicans and we remain defiant.
AIA commends the level of discipline shown by those arrested and all at the protest today in the face of such provocation and violence. The fact is that NATO has no right to be in Ireland. NATO is playing a key role in the British Occupation of Ireland, the US Military Occupation of Shannon and the Zionist Occupation and Genocide in Palestine. Republicans and the Irish People have every right to resist the presence of NATO in our country and AIA is committed to continuing to build the campaign and organise more and more direct actions against NATO in Ireland.
As the great Socialist Republican leader, Seamus Costello said, ‘No Foreign Army, under no matter what flag, will ever garrison Ireland in peace’ “