Irish Anti-War Movement to hold Dublin protest

The Irish Anti-War Movement has said that a decision to ban a protest from marching through the centre of Dublin, is politically motivated.

The group is expecting up to 3,000 people to gather in the capital later today to protest about US war threats to Iraq. They had planned to march to the American Embassy via Grafton St.

However despite a gardai ban on them doing so, spokesperson Richard Boyd Barrett said they intend on following the route along the busy shopping street.

"We're still appealing to the gardai and for that matter, to the Government, to reverse this decision. We're going to assemble as agreed at the Central Bank and then march up towards Grafton St and we're certainly going to appeal and argue with the gardai to let us up. This is a disgraceful infringement on our right to free assembly."