Security operation contains protesters

IT was clear from the moment we arrived at Shannon Town Centre on Saturday that gardaí had taken very seriously threats to pull down the airport perimeter fence.

As a mixed bag of anti-war demonstrators assembled for the afternoon protest, the garda helicopter hovered overhead, mounted gardaí took up positions outside the shopping centre and the entire gathering was recorded by a camera mounted on a garda patrol van.

The first group of demonstrators to set off along the route to the airport was up to 100 Grassroots Network Against War members.