Free Margaretta D’Arcy Free Shannon Join the Irish Embassy picket in London Thurs 6 Feb 11.30am-1pm 17 Grosvenor Pl, London SW1X 7HR https://www.facebook.com/events/655038224534808/ We plan to give in the latest signatories to the GWS statement below. (Remember there is a tube strike that day) Dear friends, Please join us at the second picket in London of the Irish Embassy to demand that our dear friend and colleague Margaretta D’Arcy be released from prison.  Almost 50 people attended the picket on 22 Jan – see photos and a report.  Margaretta D’Arcy The statement demanding that Margaretta is freed has gathered another  72 signatures in addition to the 58 who were given to the Embassy at the first picket (see below).  They include two of Margaretta’s sons, Finn and Jake, and the Reverend Pinkney on behalf of the Black Autonomy Network Community Organization of Benton Harbor, Michegan, USA, who was himself imprisoned for speaking out against racism, environmental degradation and corruption.  Other countries represented are Cambodia, China, England, Guyana, Iceland, Ireland and Wales. Margaretta’s principled and determined opposition is drawing public attention around the world to the Irish government’s collaboration with the US war machine.   Her imprisonment  continues to be very high profile in the media in Ireland with feature articles in newspapers - see Irish Times  - and many people expressing shock and outrage about it.  The Ministry of Justice maintains that there are no plans to release her early on compassionate grounds or change the bond she was asked to sign. Please join the demand for Margaretta’s release by any of the following: ·        Add your signature and/or organisation, endorsing the GWS statement below. Please send back to this email address and we will add to the list to be handed in to the Irish embassy in London at the demonstration in support of Margaretta on Thursday. ·        And/or write your own statement in support, sending us a copy. ·        Circulate the statement/s to your networks and put on your blogs, website, Facebooks, tweets, etc... ·        Write to Irish Minister for Defence Alan Shatter demanding the government release Margaretta - alan.shatter@oir.ie  ·        Send support cards to Margaretta: c/o Limerick Jail, Limerick City, Ireland.  ·        There will be a regular picket outside Limerick prison on Fridays at 5-6 pm.  See below for LINKS to coverage of protest in Ireland. Invest in caring not killing! Kay and Sian (Orange Gate 1983-84) Statement to the Press and the PublicWe are outraged to learn that our dear sister and colleague Margaretta D’Arcy has been jailed – and for three months! – for protesting the use of the civilian airport at Shannon for US wars.  And we are deeply worried about her health and well-being as a cancer patient.  One of the many public services Ms D’Arcy has performed is to protest the Irish government’s many years of complicity in US war crimes and its destruction of Irish neutrality.  She has been dedicated to highlighting that the most devastating impact of war is on women and our children, both directly from the bombs that rain down on us, and by paying with our poverty for the horrendous weapons of massive destruction that surround us all.    Ms D’Arcy is a veteran of Greenham Common Women’s Peace Camp, which opposed the US military placing cruise missiles on common land in England, and won – the camp is no longer a military base.  To dissent from a perspective of permanent war and austerity, and demand the protection of life and the planet, is increasingly labelled subversive and even criminal behaviour.  While war criminals are allowed to pass through Irish airports and financial criminals go unpunished, the Irish State in thrall to the US, UK, EU and IMF Masters of War has imprisoned a pensioner who has dedicated herself to highlighting and preventing war crimes. An attack on courageous and principled Margaretta D’Arcy is an attack on us all. We demand the immediate release of Margaretta D’Arcy. Invest in caring not killing Selma James                            on behalf of Global Women’s Strike Maggie Ronayne on behalf of Global Women’s Strike, Ireland FREE SHANNON AIRPORT FROM THE US MILITARY! NOT MARGARETTA D’ARCY!  Write to Government TDs and to Minister Shatter: alan.shatter@oir.ie webcal://www.facebook.com/ical/u.php?uid=100000384772555&key=AQD3NAHxvJRL59no https://www.facebook.com/galway.antiwar https://www.facebook.com/FreeShannon?fref=ts http://www.shannonwatch.org http://www.irishantiwar.org Email campaign contact.ie/node/271 Youtube clips re protests two weeks ago: http://youtu.be/Y8Gsw-uKw3I http://youtu.be/k0GDbIc3yTg http://youtu.be/916TFoITexY