Dublin protest: At least 10,000 protesters marched through Dublin city centre to Government Buildings last night in protest at President Bush's visit to Ireland.
The noisy but peaceful protest, organised by the Irish Anti-War Alliance, political parties, trade union groups and non-governmental groups, gathered at Parnell Square, where leaders spoke out against the US's "illegal and immoral" war in Iraq.
Gardaí initially estimated that between 9,000 and 10,000 protesters were present for the march, although organisers estimated that anything up to 20,000 people turned out.
Protesters from a wide array of political parties chanted anti-Bush slogans and carried hundreds of different placards, some of which read "Ahern is Bush's lapdog", "War criminal not wanted" and "Drop Bush and Bertie".
The newly-elected Lord Mayor of Dublin, Cllr Michael McConaghan (Labour), told the crowd that the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, had made a mockery of Irish neutrality by allowing the US military use Shannon Airport in the Iraq war.
"Our Taoiseach knows all about what happened in the lead-up to the Iraq war, but is still intent on welcoming George Bush to Ireland. We know he has no intention of discussing these issues with him," Cllr McConaghan said.
He described the protest as an "expensive photo opportunity" for the US President which would be used to win support for the Irish-American vote in Mr Bush's re-election bid.
The chairman of the Irish Anti-War Movement, Mr Richard Boyd Barrett, said the Government had tried to prevent the protest but the size of the crowd showed the resolve of the Irish people to exercise their right to protest.
"They have banned our posters and our radio ads. They have leaked scare stories about violence and now about al-Qaeda cells in order to scare people from going on the protests.
"Ahern has done everything but acknowledge the reasons why the vast majority of the Irish public are opposed to the visit of George Bush," he said, to cheers from the crowd.
Mr Eamonn McCann, of the Socialist Environmental Alliance, told the crowd that his Derry-based contingent of protesters had been warned by Derry's Chamber of Commerce not to say anything which "could possibly be construed as anti-American".
He said any attempt to place profit before principle should be read as an expression of support for a war which had killed thousands of innocent civilians.
Mr Roger Cole of the Peace and Neutrality Alliance and Mr John Gormley TD of the Green Party were among the other speakers at the protest.
Protesters of all ages made up the numbers at last night's march. Mr Reuben Ó Conluain (41) from Dún Laoighaire, who was present with his three children, held a placard reading: "Tá ar saol i mbaol".
"I'm here basically because of their future. I don't think George Bush has made the world a safer place," he said.
Ms Lorraine Gallagher (24) from Longford, a graduate of applied languages, said: "I'm here for myself, to express frustration and anger at what's happening, and the inability of the Irish Government to listen to the Irish people."
