Emotions run high as protesters call it a day

THE last hours of the controversial Shannon peace camp were difficult for the despondent protesters who knew the end was near.

On the eve of the army being deployed to Shannon, disillusioned anti-war campaigners reluctantly decided to pack their tents.

The negative publicity surrounding the recent attacks on a US military plane convinced them to call it a day after more than four weeks of protests.

The night had been long and cold and the smouldering fire at the front of the camp was burning its final cinders around midday.

Just after 12.15pm about a dozen protestors gathered for a long group hug outside a large tent. Some were emotional, another laughed and said “enough of that fluffy stuff”.

A private meeting was then held and the campaigners decided to end the protest.

“If all our energy is used to fight eviction or if the media make a circus out of the peace camp, then that’s it. We will take the camp out of the spotlight,” spokesman Tim Hourigan warned earlier in the morning.

Hours later the game was up and the protesters upped sticks and packed their bags.

Some passing cars still honked with gusto but there was little fun in the camp as the army prepared to move in. Coloured ribbons were hanging at the entrance but there was no other colour on the mucky ground where the campaigners had been based since January 6.

Most of the once vociferous campaigners were too busy to talk as they listened to the latest news on a wind-up radio.

“This has been a very intense day and there’s an awful lot coming at us,” 27-year-old Mr Hourigan said.

The campaigners believe the army was drafted in to protect the airport because it’s become a terrorist target.

“I think the direct action (the attacks on military planes) made it very convenient for them to bring in the army. The Government knows that by putting the US military planes in here, they are making the place a terrorist target,” Mr Hourigan said.

The protesters believe armed soldiers at Shannon will compromise neutrality.

“It’s a very sad day if our peacekeeping army are brought in. We were not a threat. We were here to monitor and inform people,” Mr Hourigan added.

The closure of the camp will not deter the protesters from lobbying and monitoring the airport, Mr Hourigan said. He added that the five people charged with causing criminal damage to a US navy plane on Monday aren’t linked to the camp and he doesn’t think they stayed there.

“I don’t think they did. I don’t know if they came down and said they were going plane-spotting. They didn’t consult us anyway.”