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Old 06-16-2004, 05:54 PM   #1
Louise
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Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Ireland
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ANTI WAR GIG THIS SATURDAY FORCED TO VICAR ST AFTER BCI BANS RADIO ADS.

IAWM CLAIMS CAMPAIGN OF DELIBERATE SABOTAGE AND CENSORSHIP



The Irish Anti-War Movement have been forced to move the anti-war gig with Christy Moore and Damien Rice due to take place this Saturday from the Point to Vicar St. The move follows the decision of the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland to ban radio advertisements for the gig last week.



The gig headlined by Moore and Rice also features, Mary Black, Kila, The Revs, Katell Keineg, and comedian Barry Murphy. Mundy, who was due to hold his own gig in Vicar St on Saturday has given up the venue to the IAWM for the gig and will join the line-up himself.



The new venue for the gig is now sold out. Tickets already bought for the Point gig will now be valid at Vicar St.



In a statement, Richard Boyd Barrett, chairperson of the Irish Anti-War Movement said:

“ This ban on our ads is censorship and political sabotage – there is no other word for it. For months there has been a systematic campaign by the government to try and undermine the anti-war movement and the protests planned around the visit of George Bush.”



“Bertie Ahern publicly warned against people joining the anti-Bush protests. This was a disgraceful move in a supposedly democratic society. It is now clear his words were not idle but a statement of intent. Following his comments Dublin City Council adopted a new policy of pulling down posters advertising anti-war events. This decision came from the county mangers, who are answerable to the government. The Gardai are also harassing activists distributing leaflets and putting up posters.”

“Now the BCI, which is also a government appointed body has banned ads advertising our gig - seriously damaging our campaign to promote the event and sell tickets."

"You cannot fill a venue the size of the Point without radio advertising. The BCI know that and we made it clear to them in our correspondence last week that the ban amounted to deliberate sabotage of our concert.”

"The attack on our events does not end there. At the weekend the Independent newspapers controlled Sunday Tribune ran a disgraceful story suggesting the anti-war movement was profiteering from anti-war activity. This deliberate slur was particularly scurrilous considering the anti-war movement is almost permanently in debt and has no paid staff."


"Then, of course, we have had the deliberately hyped and over the top security operation surrounding the Bush visit to Dromoland Castle including leaks about US secret service agents with live ammunition ready for use.”

"All of this combined amounts to sustained attack on the anti-war movement and an attempt to undermine our events and protests"

There are serious issues about freedom of expression at stake here. Between the poster ban and the ban on our ads we are being put in a position where we simply cannot advertise anti-war events. We can’t put up posters for the gig or protests on street poles and we can’t pay for commercial advertising. This is an outrageous attack on the right to free speech. The bans are legally and constitutionally questionable but the government know we won’t have time to take this through the courts before the Bush visit.



“The public should be very worried about the lengths this government is willing to go silence opposition. They are trampling on basic civil liberties and democratic rights.



"We wish to apologise to those who bought tickets and hope the move does not cause too much inconvenience. We also wish to apologise to fans and activists who would have gone to the gig but may now not get tickets. Unfortunately, we have no choice at this stage but to move the gig. However, the gig will go ahead. It will be a great gig and will still be an important rallying point for the anti-war movement in the run-up to the protests against Bush on June 25th and 26th. There is also a possibility of a second gig which we will announce shortly if it can be organised at short notice.

"The important thing is this campaign of censorship and intimidation will not stop us from expressing our opposition to Bush and his war agenda. The protest in Dublin on June 25th and Dromland on June 26th are now more than protests against war - They are also are also about defending democracy and free speech."

NB. Christy Moore will speak on the Marian Finucane show on Radio One tomorrow morning on the ban and the effect on the gig.
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