State scare tactics in G8 run-up

SCARE tactics and propaganda are being deployed by the British state in the run-up to the G8 summit in June.

There is talk of special cells being readied for protesters at an army camp, of  police-state style  security measures and of overworked and stressed-out cops.

The pressure has also been increased by the discovery of a mortar bomb which a dissident republican group says was intended for the G8 summit venue.

The authorities are facing big protests in three locations - in London for a week of action including the J11 Carnival Against Capitalism, in Dublin just before the summit and around the actual venue at Lough Erne, County Fermanagh (pictured above).

"The police and prison services in Northern Ireland have begun arranging for hundreds of extra holding cells in anticipation of protests at this summer's G8 summit turning ugly," reports The Belfast Telegraph.

Work is apparently under way to make available extra cell capacity inside Maghaberry high security prison in Co Antrim, as well as at Magilligan prison in Co Londonderry and Hydebank Wood young offenders' centre and women's prison in Belfast.

The authorities claim a "ring of steel" will be in place around the summit venue at the Lough Erne resort. With the lakes of Fermanagh providing an additional natural barrier between the hotel and outside world, they say it is unlikely that protesters will get anywhere near the complex.

The demonstrators' focus may therefore shift to the town of Enniskillen, five miles away, or further afield in Northern Ireland, says the Belfast Telegraph. It adds: "Indeed London may witness the largest protests" - referring to the actions lined up by anti-capitalists Stop G8 on and around Tuesday June 11.

Police in Northern Ireland told the BBC: "People travelling on 16, 17 and 18 June 2013 will be advised to leave extra time for their journey.

"Previous G8 conferences have also attracted a number of protest groups. Police will be planning for this eventuality and this may again result in some disruption to the transport network.

"As a result there will be a highly visible police presence across parts of the Antrim Borough throughout the duration of the G8 conference."

The police said that there would be a large security presence on all routes around the airport.

There will also be a "larger than normal police and security presence" within Belfast International Airport itself in the days leading up to the arrival of the delegates.

The Impartial Reporter focuses on the pressure on police for what it is being billed  as a bigger challenge than the "troubles". 

It says: "With just 11 weeks to go until eight world leaders including US President Barack Obama visit Enniskillen, police officers on G8 duties in Fermanagh are complaining of being "over-worked" as they patrol the county around the clock. 

"In what will likely be the biggest security operation in the history of Northern Ireland, a considerable number of police officers here have been tasked with ensuring nothing goes wrong in the run-up to the global event. But some of the officers, according to the chairman of the Police Federation of Northern Ireland, feel under pressure by the workload."

The bomb found abandoned  in Fermanagh was claimed by republican  group Oglaigh Na hEireann, which said it was to be detonated at the hotel hosting the G8 summit.

In a coded statement to The Guardian, the anti-ceasefire dissident organisation also admitted responsibility for an attempted mortar bomb attack on the heavily fortified New Barnsley police station in west Belfast two weeks ago.

ONH also provided two photographs of a mortar launching device alongside a printed note stating: "MK1 10KG Mortar, Range 300 Metres."

The group's statement said: "Car bomb defused in County Fermanagh on Sat 23rd March. Target was hotel hosting G8 summit in June."

Occupy Belfast take over city bank

 

OCCUPY Belfast activists have taken over a high-profile disused bank in the Northern Ireland city centre.

Says a statement from the group: "Occupy Belfast have taken control of the Bank of Ireland on Royal Avenue in opposition to soaring homelessness, lack of affordable social housing and home repossessions.

"We hope today’s announcement will serve to initiate the building of a housing campaign. Building such a campaign will not be easy.

"To do so we need to begin to organise as workers, students and the unemployed in a real and meaningful way in our communities – to become involved in discussing, agreeing on and organising the tactics necessary to build resistance and a better society for all.

"No politician will do it for us. We hope the seizure of the Bank of Ireland will be the place to begin.

"Banks take our houses so we take their buildings. This is a repossession for the community! "

Blogger Slugger O'Toole writes: "On Saturday, Occupy activists entered the disused Bank of Ireland branch on the corner of Royal Avenue and North Street, which was the home of the Belfast Stock Exchange in the days when we still had one… at least until the late 1990s, if my memory is correct.

"They did not make their presence public until just before noon today [Monday], when they unfurled a number of banners from the top floor of the building, quickly attracting a crowd of curious onlookers, along with the PSNI and, for a brief period, keyholders and the Fire Brigade.

"They could not have picked a better metaphor for their critique of free-market democracy.

"Not only did is it the former home of a stock exchange, it also hosted a branch of an institution that has benefited from the controversial taxpayer-funded rescue package for profligate banks in the Republic.

"This gorgeous building, one of Belfast’s few pieces of art deco, has lain empty at one end of the City’s main shopping thoroughfare for almost half a decade.

"The property developers who bought it in 2007-ish were doubtless working on assumptions about the future of Northern Ireland property prices that have turned out to be grossly unrealistic.

"And so, one of the gateways to the city centre is overlooked by a decaying shell rather than something productive and well looked after. This is indeed a case where the logic of the market flies directly in the face of the common good."

Keep up to date with the global insurrection - follow VM on Twitter
 

Police provoked seaside riot

POLICE in Northern Ireland have been blamed for provoking a riot in a seaside town.

Reports The Belfast Telegraph: "The riot squad was called in after officers were attacked with bottles and other missiles by crowds in the centre of Ballycastle, just hours before the start of the famous Auld Lammas Fair. Two officers were injured.

"The street disturbances, which began after the pubs closed, lasted an hour.

"Tens of thousands of people later packed the town for the event which claims to be Ireland's oldest festival. But the police tactics used to quell the trouble in the early hours were heavily criticised.

"Padraig McShane, an independent member of Moyle District Council, who watched the police in action claimed the officers over-reacted and goaded some of the young people. He said the atmosphere in the town had been good until the riot squad arrived.

"Mr McShane said: 'This was heavy handed policing. They were very aggressive and the batons were out before the arrests. It's very easy for the police to look at young people on the wrong side and give them a hard time. But that's what happened and the violence was not a reflection of the people of Ballycastle'."

Protest outside 'terrorism' court case

ANGRY protesters have blocked the entrance to a court in Derry where an Irish republican faced a bizarre terrorism charge.

Gary Donnelly, 39, is accused of ' having a mobile phone that was used for purposes connected with the commission, preparation or instigation of an act of terrorism', reports the Belfast Telegraph.

The police (RUC) allege a phone call to a journalist claiming responsibility for two pipe bomb attacks by the Real IRA had been traced to Mr Donnelly's phone.

His supporters point out that this sort of call would hardly be made on someone's own phone and add that the journalist specifically said it was not Mr Donnelly's voice.

They say the whole case is nothing but a set-up by the British state and blatant political intimidation of the 32 County Sovereignty Movement, of which Mr Donnelly is part, and radical republicanism in Northern Ireland as a whole.

The protesters held placards referring to the "Internment by Demand" and chanted "SS RUC" at police outside.

The district judge rejected the police's call for bail to be refuse and released Mr Donnelly to appear again on September 20.