Aer Rianta will apply to the High Court tomorrow for an order preventing trespassing at Shannon Airport by members of the Shannon peace camp, who are protesting at the use of the airport for the refuelling of US military aircraft bound for Iraq.
The High Court was told yesterday that a garda was brought to hospital earlier as a result of an "apparent violent confrontation" when five people cut through a boundary fence at Shannon Airport and entered a hangar containing a damaged US navy aircraft which was under Garda protection. The court gave Aer Rianta leave to serve persons in a peace camp with notice of an application to be made by the authority tomorrow for an order to stop trespassing at the airfield.
Mr Maurice Collins, for Aer Rianta, said the peace camp contained a number of people who were protesting at the use of the airport for refuelling aircraft carrying US military personnel. The camp was on airport lands. On January 29th, a woman from the camp was arrested in circumstances which gave rise to criminal damage to a US navy plane estimated at $500,000. Mr Collins said a protest had been taking place at the airport for some time.
The airport authorities were now troubled by what was perceived as the use of this camp as a base for incursions in the airfield area.
Apart from the incident on January 29th, there had been another incident yesterday when there had been an apparently violent confrontation in which a garda was injured and taken to hospital. Aer Rianta was not seeking to stifle lawful protest but was apprehensive about what appeared to be a pattern of entry on to the airfield, counsel said. Apart from the incident on January 29th when it appeared that the woman involved was lifted over the fence, it was understood that yesterday's incident involved the cutting of the fence. Mr Collins said the application was a matter of urgency.
Mr Justice Gilligan said he would give Aer Rianta leave to give persons at the peace camp notice of tomorrow's hearing.