Three pro-Palestine activists have been charged with criminal damage after allegedly spraying a US military aircraft with green paint at Shannon Airport in the Republic of Ireland.
Dramatic Airport Security Breach
The incident, which a detective described as "planned and premeditated," occurred in the early hours of Saturday, November 22. A special sitting of Ennis District Court on Sunday heard that the protesters forced a van through an airside barrier before speeding along the runway to where the Boeing 737-700, operated by the US Navy Reserve, was parked.
Detective Garda Colm Moriarty outlined the state's case, revealing that Gardaí and Irish Defence Forces personnel, who were deployed to protect the aircraft, pursued the van. The situation escalated to the point where Defence Forces personnel briefly drew their weapons until the suspects were apprehended.
The Protest and Arrest
The court was told the van had been modified for the protest. The accused had secured themselves inside using chains and barriers on the doors and windows. A hole had been cut in the roof, and it was through this opening that two individuals emerged to spray the US plane with green paint from a modified fire extinguisher.
It took the combined efforts of Gardaí, soldiers, and the airport fire brigade approximately 75 minutes to break into the reinforced vehicle. Tools including spray paint, a lump hammer, and heavy-duty chains were later seized by police.
Charges and Political Motive
The three accused—Kaspar Aiden Cantwell Strattra, 23; Emily Cathcart, 23; and Conan Kavanagh, 23—are all charged with criminal damage to the US aircraft. They also face charges for damaging an airside vehicle barrier and trespassing on the main apron and a taxiway.
After being charged, Cantwell Strattra reportedly stated, "The use of Shannon Airport by the US military breaks Irish neutrality. The US is a belligerent power complicit in the genocide of Palestinians."
Judge Marie Keane remanded all three in custody with consent to bail. They are scheduled to appear via video link before Ennis District Court on Tuesday, November 25.
