Damien Moran, an Irish national living in Poland, has been active against the U.S. plan to station missile-defense missiles in Poland. He was going to speak in Colorado Springs April 7 about the NATO decision to back Bush's missile-defense plans. He never made it. At O'Hare Airport in Chicago, Damien was interrogated by Department of Homeland Security officials about his involvement in the Pitstop Plowshares movement. He was acquitted in that action, but that wasn't enough for DHS. He was sent back to Poland. Here's Damien's observations:Pitstop Plougshares acquittee Damien Moran deported from the U.S.
As well as a a ploughshares acquittal to my name I now have the privilege of being sent packing on a one-way flight from Chicago airport to Warsaw just 5 hours after I had landed.
I was immediately detained and questioned by Homeland Security officers about our Pitstop Ploughshares action at Shannon in February 2003 (www.warontrial.com), why I was arrested, why our group 'sabotaged' U.S. military property.
I informed them about our action and acquittal with pleasure. They were none too pleased.
When the gung-ho Officer Bock shouted out that deportation was the least of my problems I decided there was no point of pushing his buttons too far. I made my anti-war statement, explaining that I was en route to visit my brother in Virginia, then planned going to Colorado Springs and Nebraska to speak at anti-militarism conferences/panels and demonstrations.
I've been travelling and waiting in airports non-stop for the past 30 hours so now it's time to hit the hay. I will write a more extensive report tomorrow.
Unfortunately I've lost $350 dollars in flight expenses while the Global Network (www.space4peace.org) Against Weapons in Space that invited me have been setback over $1,000. If anyone has spare change to donate and help with costs (will be dedicated to anti-militarist/missile defence/direct action purposes) please let me know.
No Pasaran (New motto of U.S. Homeland Security dissenters),
I was immediately detained and questioned by Homeland Security officers about our Pitstop Ploughshares action at Shannon in February 2003 (www.warontrial.com), why I was arrested, why our group 'sabotaged' U.S. military property.
I informed them about our action and acquittal with pleasure. They were none too pleased.
When the gung-ho Officer Bock shouted out that deportation was the least of my problems I decided there was no point of pushing his buttons too far. I made my anti-war statement, explaining that I was en route to visit my brother in Virginia, then planned going to Colorado Springs and Nebraska to speak at anti-militarism conferences/panels and demonstrations.
I've been travelling and waiting in airports non-stop for the past 30 hours so now it's time to hit the hay. I will write a more extensive report tomorrow.
Unfortunately I've lost $350 dollars in flight expenses while the Global Network (www.space4peace.org) Against Weapons in Space that invited me have been setback over $1,000. If anyone has spare change to donate and help with costs (will be dedicated to anti-militarist/missile defence/direct action purposes) please let me know.
No Pasaran (New motto of U.S. Homeland Security dissenters),
4 comments:
Here's an updated statement from Damien released Monday morning:
Irish anti-war activist Damien Moran, acquitted in Dublin Circuit court 18 months ago by jury trial of doing €2 million disarmament to a U.S. military plane at Shannon airport as a protest against the Iraq war, was deported from the U.S.A.Sunday by Homeland Security agents at Chicago's O'Hare airport.
Moran had been invited to attend and speak at a conference against the U.S. Government's missile defence plans. The 27 year old Offaly native is a former seminarian with the Holy Ghost Fathers in Kimmage and is currently living and teaching in Poland. Prior to leaving for Poland he worked with the De Paul Trust at a homeless shelter in Dublin's city centre.
Regarding the deportation Moran stated: “I was immediately detained and questioned by Homeland Security officers about our nonviolent and legal action at Shannon in February 2003. The information the border authorities claimed to have was that I was arrested for damaging a U.S. fighter jet at Shannon. I let them know that their database was out of date and that it should also read acquitted as an Irish jury had decided unanimously we had a lawful excuse to help save life and property in Iraq.”
He continued: “My mobile phone was seized and I was interrogated about the purpose of my trip and why I had damaged U.S. military property. I had been invited to speak at a university in Colorado Springs and at a conference in Omaha on U.S. militarism in Poland and Ireland. I also had tickets to visit my brother and his family in Virginia. Homeland Security 's unjustified refusal to allow me enter the U.S. and meet family, speak with U.S. citizens is just another example of how quasi-fascist the U.S. State apparatus has become.”
Furthermore, Moran claims that modern-day America is summed up by "his deportation from to the U.S. to advocate for social investment and military divestment on the same weekend as the U.S. officially celebrates the life of Martin Luther King Jr. I was barred from entering due to my act of dissent at Shannon 5 years ago against their disastrous militaristic policies at home and abroad. Evidently there is no room for dissenters' and foreign peace activists in America today ”
Furthermore the deportee claims “It is high time the omnipotent military -industrial complex in the U.S. is crushed by concerned citizens.When I informed them about our action and acquittal they were none too pleased. Unfortunately I've lost $350 dollars in flight expenses while the Global Network Against Weapons in Space organisation that invited me have been setback over $1,000. Albeit, it's not much money compared to the $2 trillion plus bill that U.S. taxpayers have paid to help their government wage the Iraq war.”
More on the conference that Moran was due to attend can be found at www.space4peace.org
As regards the Shannon Ploughshares action he was acquitted for with 4 colleagues more info. Can be sourced at www.warontrial.com
Moran's current activities include resistance to the controversial U.S. missile defence plans for Poland. See www.m29.bzzz.net for more details.
Thanks for telling us.
Thanks for the info. There is so much stuff happening that slides by most of us.
Is this the editor that shares a name with one of my new babies?
A different Moran - see? you started a trend. Lotsa those Morans around.
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