You can't use your park! Europhobes!

dathi1

Apparently I can't use my usual 10K running route in the Phoenix park on Friday evening, Saturday and Sunday. Also if you wish to bring the family to the Zoo on a bank holiday weekend...tough... our European masters have exclusive access to our park this weekend too. So 1000s of runners, walkers, GAA, Football, Picnickers and countless Zoo visitors will be told to take a hike by armed Security forces at sealed off check points to one of the world's largest walled "public" parks. A blip compared to the way the Brussels elite will rule your life from here on in.

cruiserweight

Is one of the days over the weekend not the European Day of Welcomes?:D

Sleipnir

Better than having a riot.
Are they shutting down the whole park or just fencing off and guarding Farmleigh?

dathi1

Are they shutting down the whole park or just fencing off and guarding Farmleigh?

My running club has just told me its the whole park. I ran there yesterday...looks like they have 3 containment zones around Farleigh, perimeter fencing at blanchardstown gate end, The US ambassadors residence has 8 ft steel wired galvanized fencing with break barriers?????? and garda horse patrols everywhere. Its like running around guantanamo.

therecklessone

As opposed to leaving it wide open and having a troop load of soap-dodgers in white boiler suits wrecking the place?

I'm not keen on the measures being employed, but previous EU summits have attracted serious trouble. Like the Boy Scouts taught me, "be prepared".

Villain

Originally posted by therecklessone
As opposed to leaving it wide open and having a troop load of soap-dodgers in white boiler suits wrecking the place?

If your referring to the wombles, the numbers expected are 50 to 100.

So hardly a troop load now.

therecklessone

Originally posted by irish1
If your referring to the wombles, the numbers expected are 50 to 100.

So hardly a troop load now.

I don't know, would be a troop load if they were scouts...or monkeys...

Villain

Originally posted by therecklessone
I don't know, would be a troop load if they were scouts...or monkeys...

LOL, very good.

I think their over reacting to be fair, the more police and soldiers the more people to start a fight IMHO .;)

dathi1

I'm not keen on the measures being employed, but previous EU summits have attracted serious trouble. Like the Boy Scouts taught me, "be prepared".

So its ok to disenfranchise Dubliners from using their own park for a euro summit? what I'm really getting at here is the whole elitist attitude of our government when it comes to our euro power masters. Its our party piss off!
Why not have it in the bog of allen?

Imposter

Just because you don't recognise bog snorkeling as a sport doesn't mean others should feel the same way.:)

spudulike

the simple fact of the matter is that nobody knows what has been planned by various groups for the weekend and personally i think that our international reputation as a friendly safe country is at risk and I would rather that that garda ensure that the small number of people intent of trouble aren't given the oppertunity. So i say this time the garda are acting instead of reacting and i'm right behind them for it...

sceptre

Originally posted by irish1
If your referring to the wombles, the numbers expected are 50 to 100.

So hardly a troop load now.

Are Wellington and Tomsk coming?

Sleipnir

Originally posted by dathi1
So its ok to disenfranchise Dubliners from using their own park for a euro summit? what I'm really getting at here is the whole elitist attitude of our government when it comes to our euro power masters. Its our party piss off!
Why not have it in the bog of allen?

It could easily be argued that it's not the attendees of the summit who are the reason for the parks closure but the people who are intent on disrupting said summit.

Villain

Originally posted by sceptre
Are Wellington and Tomsk coming?

Not to my knowledge.

therecklessone

Frankly I'd prefer the couple of days inconveniance than a free for all with the resulting chaos we'd have. Lets have no security precautions and blame the government/gardai/EU/Bush when it all kicks off.

"They should have seen this coming..."

Just had an interesting thought:

How would people have reacted if the morning of Sept 11th if the US authorities had grounded all flights on the basis of intelligence suggesting an attack? Would they have complained about the delays and inconveniance caused?

Sorry if thats off-topic.

mike65

Originally posted by therecklessone
"

Just had an interesting thought:

How would people have reacted if the morning of Sept 11th if the US authorities had grounded all flights on the basis of intelligence suggesting an attack? Would they have complained about the delays and inconveniance caused?

Naturally! You dont get thanks for preventing a disaster only sh1t thrown at you for NOT preventing disaster...

Mike.

Villain

Originally posted by therecklessone
Frankly I'd prefer the couple of days inconveniance than a free for all with the resulting chaos we'd have. Lets have no security precautions and blame the government/gardai/EU/Bush when it all kicks off.

"They should have seen this coming..."

Just had an interesting thought:

How would people have reacted if the morning of Sept 11th if the US authorities had grounded all flights on the basis of intelligence suggesting an attack? Would they have complained about the delays and inconveniance caused?

Sorry if thats off-topic.

Well any reports on intelligence I have read are always from unnamed sources and never give any details, I think the wombles are the only real group who have stated any threat, they said they would storm farmleigh house.

If they have real intelligence that threats excist that merit this security fair enough, but I'm a little skeptic myself.

An as I said

the more police and soldiers the more people to start a fight IMHO

cruiserweight

If they have real intelligence that threats excist that merit this security fair enough, but I'm a little skeptic myself.

In fairness any intelligence of this nature would be kept under wraps. There is no point in letting groups know that you have their plans if you are planning on stopping them. THey will just form new plans that the gardai or army are not prepared for.

Villain

Originally posted by cruiserweight
In fairness any intelligence of this nature would be kept under wraps. There is no point in letting groups know that you have their plans if you are planning on stopping them. THey will just form new plans that the gardai or army are not prepared for.

Fair point, but I don't think such threat excists. The eru are guarding Farmleigh house so if the wombles head for that they will be sorry people, if abbeylara is anything to go by.

cruiserweight

I think that unless something happens then we will never learn what intelligence or information was available.

If everything passes off peacefully then there are two possibel scenarios:
1:There was no threat and it was a slight over reaction, in which case I say at least we were prepared just case.
2:Something major was going to happen and the intelligence was correct and it was prevented. In which case it may never even be reported, because depending on the scale of the threat then there is no need to worry the general public about what could have happened.

In either case I think it is better to be prepared just in case.

Sleipnir

Abbeylara was a slightly different situation and is not really relevant to this one.

Anyway, I don't think the goverment would be calling out the entire Garda force this weekend if they didn't feel there was a credible and real threat.


From unison.ie

The Taoiseach has told the Dail that the entire Garda force will be on duty for the May Day ceremonies around the country. During heated exchanges, Bertie Ahern called on Joe Higgins of the Socialist Party to ask anarchists not to travel to Dublin. Deputy Higgins refused the request. The Taoiseach has said Garda leave for the weekend has been cancelled, "The entire force is in operation effectively next Saturday. So leave arrangements and days off and particularly on a May weekend are not in place, so the numbers are not reduced."

pork99

Patricia McKenna, the Green party MEP, last night appealed for protesters, particularly those travelling from abroad, to ensure that May Day was a peaceful celebration. She said: “I hope that those coming to Ireland, to take part in any of the events organised for that day, do so in a spirit of peace and celebration.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2091-1087194,00.html

Well said Patricia but I'm not the one you need to convince. I doubt if the people coming here to stir sh|t take much notice of Ms McKenna whatever she says.

Victor

Originally posted by cruiserweight
2:Something major was going to happen and the intelligence was correct and it was prevented. In which case it may never even be reported

But how would people get their promotions then

Victor

Originally posted by Sleipnir
Bertie Ahern called on Joe Higgins of the Socialist Party to ask anarchists not to travel to Dublin

This would appear to hint that Joe Higgins controls the Sekrit International Anarchist Organisation

cruiserweight

But how would people get their promotions then

I don't think that that will be reported either:D

Tuars

Just stay in your homes, watch TV and listen to what the government tell you and you'll be fine. It's for your own good.

Everything will be alright. Remember just stay in your homes. You will be safe.

And be thankful to the brave bureaucrats of Europe for standing in the frontline in the fight against democracy and freedom.

Everything will be alright. We'll look after you. Pay your taxes and stay in your homes. And could you also do us a favour and close your eyes and ears and suspend what's left of your critical faculties while you're at it.

Don't be afraid. We know there's a big bad world out there. We'll take care of you.

We'll take care of you.

monument

Originally posted by Sleipnir
Better than having a riot.

Even better don't let any one do anything. Then there will be no problems at all.

dathi1

Just got back again from an 8k ( ) 2 helicopters buzzing constantly overhead...for some reason what looks like a big white APC water cannon unit is driving up and down the main park road. Height for hire cherry pickers with CCTV at every corner. More barriers and now double fencing across the whole south area of the park. People going about their daily walks etc...seem to be gobsmaked. 200+ portaloos at the popes cross for security..I guess. Guantanamo it isn't...more like 1984.

monument

Originally posted by dathi1
Just got back again from an 8k ( ) 2 helicopters buzzing constantly overhead...for some reason what looks like a big white APC water cannon unit is driving up and down the main park road. Height for hire cherry pickers with CCTV at every corner. More barriers and now double fencing across the whole south area of the park. People going about their daily walks etc...seem to be gobsmaked. 200+ portaloos at the popes cross for security..I guess. Guantanamo it isn't...more like 1984.

Is there any chance you might have a digital camera? Going out with it might not be a good idea... god help you if someone was ever to overreact.

therecklessone

If you're mad enough, try taking notes the next time you're out for a run. Might add some spice to your 8k...;)

arcadegame2004

Daithi, you forget that "Europe" includes us. New EU laws proposed by the EU Commission are subject to approval or rejection by the Council of Ministers and usually too by the elected European Parliament. Either you're happy with the existing EU system or you should propose a way of improving it. Which requires a treaty-change. Which requires unanimity. I'm making this point to counter what I feel is a Eurosceptic-streak to your points.

On the specific substance of the security issue, I prefer to be safe than sorry. If the Gardai made no effort to provide security for the EU Ministers then they and the Government would be the targets of public consternation if Dublin is subjected to what Seattle and Copehagen were subjected to in terms of the violent anarchy that those latter cities witnessed. I think this issue has echoes of the smoking-ban, in the sense that the general good is better served in this case by providing security for private-property and for EU leaders. The anarchists must not be left to their own devices because otherwise, much economic damage could be caused to Irish business and Irish jobs, as well as our international reputation.