Irish peace and anti-racism groups have congregated in Shannon Airport to denounce the implementation of a US Immigration ban on Muslims at pre-clearance facilities
US President Trump has signed an order which means people from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen travelling to the US via Ireland are likely to be detained.
“Shannon and Dublin’s complicity in allowing the US to deny entry to approved refugees, asylum seekers, visa holders and even US legal residents is shocking” said John Lannon of Shannonwatch. “We call on Taoiseach Enda Kenny to express Ireland’s revulsion at the bans imposed by President Trump, and to ensure that the Irish airport authorities and Gardai do not facilitate this unjust and discriminatory order in any way.”
“It would now be appropriate for an Taoiseach to sign an “executive order” to ban US military flights from Shannon with immediate effect” said Edward Horgan of the Peace and Neutrality Alliance and Veterans for Peace.
“Any cooperation with this racist and surely illegal ban only adds to the shame felt by many people in this region at our complicity with US militarism at Shannon, and it must be resisted” said Vicky Donnelly, coordinator of Galway One World Centre.
“Ireland must take a positive stance in shaping the world that is now being made” said Shane O’Curry, Director of European Network Against Racism (ENAR) Ireland. “We have an opportunity now to disrupt a project that is about creating division and conflict. We must seize that opportunity and send a clear message to Trump that Ireland is not for colluding in the politics of fear, division and hate.”
Memet Uludag from United Against Racism said “As the rallies last week across the world showed, there is massive international anger towards Trump’s racist, sexist policies. We stand in solidarity with Muslims, migrants and refugees who are banned from travelling to the US. We also extend our solidarity to the thousands of people protesting at more than ten US airports.”
United Against Racism is organising a protest on 2nd February at the US Embassy in Dublin at 6pm.
