The American anti-war movement, with Veterans for Peace in the lead, are taking up the issue of US military use of Shannon Airport as a transit hub for American wars in the Middle East and provocative NATO war “games” in eastern Europe.
This is one of the many positive outcomes of the international conference on closing all US and NATO military bases held at Liberty Hall, Dublin, last November.
Two American peace activists were arrested on St Patrick’s Day for taking part in a protest inside Shannon Airport. Ken Mayers (82) and Tarak Kauf (77) of Veterans for Peace protested on the tarmac at Shannon Airport against the presence of the US war machine at this Irish civilian airport and its use as a US military hub.
The response of the Irish state was to refuse them bail, and to imprison them in Limerick Prison.
Their passports, as was expected, have been confiscated, and they have been told they must stay in Ireland for the trial.
They appeared in the High Court on Thursday 28 March. Their next hearing will be on Wednesday 3 April.
