Socialist Republicans Storm NATO Ship As Gardaí Make Arrests

At 10:30am on the 17th of August, socialist republicans from Anti-Imperialist Action Ireland (AIA) stormed an Italian NATO warship docked at Dublin Port. 

They unfurled a banner which read “EU/NATO Out Of Ireland” and began chanting “NATO Out Of Ireland!”, after reading out a statement condemning NATO’s presence in Dublin Port. 

They were met with Gardaí brutality overseen by the Special Branches, thrown on the ground and handcuffed, while their banner was taken down. The State’s forces attempted to intimidate the activists into deleting footage of the protest taken onboard the ship at risk of seizing the phones as requested by the Italian NATO representatives, and told the activists to “fuck off” when questioned about the legality of the arrests and subsequent questioning. They were also referred to as “prisoners” onboard the ship when arrested by the police officers present, before a superintendent confirmed that they have no powers to arrest for protesting. 

“The direct action was taken against the unwanted presence of European and NATO imperialists in our country and sparked a violent reaction from the Free State Police, embarrassed that their security had been breached during the EU presidency, “ the AIA said in a statement, adding that the action “demonstrates the prophetic of nature of Seamus’s Costello’s maxim that ‘No Foreign Army under no matter what flag, will ever garrison Ireland in peace’”. 

This is part of a broader tendency in which the State overreacts to pro-Palestine, pro-sovereignty and anti-NATO dissent.  Last week, Aontacht Media reported that a musician, Jimi Cullen, was arrested after shouting “Free Palestine” at a procession of NATO leaders, including Alexus Grynkewich, the imperialist organization’s ‘Supreme Allied Commander’.

AIA had also condemned Grynkewich’s presence late last week, stating that the “NATO Europe Commander” is “not welcome”, and raising the slogan “NATO Terrorists, Out Of Ireland!”.