Anti-war protests will take place simultaneously this evening in Dublin, Waterford, Galway, Sligo and Tralee just as the US president George W. Bush is scheduled to arrive in Ireland for an 18-hour visit to attend an EU-US summit
The organisers - an alliance of anti-war groups and NGOs - have insisted the protests will be "family friendly" and strictly peaceful events. The marches begin at 7 p.m., but another protest is set to take place in Shannon tomorrow during the summit.
In Dublin, the protest organised by the "Stop Bush Campaign", an alliance of anti-war groups, NGOs, political parties and trades unions, will begin at Parnell Square at 7 p.m. tonight and the marchers will walk to Government buildings.
A protest is also due to take place at Dromoland Castle, where the EU-US summit is taking place, tomorrow morning. The protesters will leave Clarecastle outside Ennis at 10 a.m. and march towards the castle. However, the protesters will only be allowed to get within a mile of Dromoland Castle as gardaí have put security arrangements in place.
The protesters will take buses back through Clarecastle, Quinn and Sixmilebridge to Shannon, where they will assemble close to the airport between 3 p.m and 4 p.m. Mr Bush is due to fly out from Shannon at 3 p.m.
Anti-War Ireland, which is co-ordinating the Shannon protest, said the event was intended to be a "non-confrontational" march. It asked protesters "considering the use of non-violent direct action" to "clearly separate themselves from the main body of the march" this evening. It also asked those taking part to avoid drunkenness and not to engage in any action that may endanger other protesters.
Three protesters were arrested this afternoon after they staged a protest from an inflatable boat on the Shannon Estuary. One is understood to be the former army officer Mr Edward Horgan of the Mid-Western Alliance Against Military Aggression.
The Waterford Anti-War Movement is also organising a protest at John Roberts Square in the city at 7 p.m. tonight. The event is a regional protest for the southeast, the organisers said.
They said that rather than being welcomed to Ireland for what is "little more than a photo opportunity" for the upcoming US election, Mr Bush should face "huge protests and calls for his indictment for fraud and war crimes".
Some 200 lawyers practising in Ireland, including 20 senior counsel, more than 100 junior counsel and a number of solicitors, signed a statement earlier this week urging people to protest peacefully against the Bush visit. One senior counsel, Mr Fergal Kavanagh, also said the gardaí should arrest Mr Bush if evidence emerged that he had authorised torture or human rights abuses against Iraqi prisoners.
The Garda has said it will facilitate the right to protest peacefully and it is only when people engage in criminal activity that gardaí will "have to deal with the situation". The Garda said it is "determined to prevent criminality and public disorder and will ensure a prompt and effective response".
Two water cannon, on loan from the PSNI, will also be on standby in Shannon. Gardaí used the water cannon against protesters on May 1st, during a protest near the Phoenix Park in Dublin, where EU heads of state were gathered at Farmleigh for the accession celebrations.
Special arrangements have also been made for the detention of prisoners in Limerick Prison, according to the Garda. A unit in Shannon Industrial Estate has also been designated as a Garda Station/Courthouse and detention centre to ensure the "smooth and timely processing of prisoners".
The security operation is the largest ever seen in the State. Roads for miles around Shannon and Dromoland will be closed off. Manhole covers were checked and welded shut in the presence of gardaí. Water mains, manholes, gully traps, culverts, bridges, livestock and wildlife underpasses and pedestrian walkways have all been checked.