A major security operation is under way in the North in advance of the war summit between US President George W Bush and British Prime Minister Mr Tony Blair today.
Thousands of anti-war protesters from Northern Ireland and the Republic are expected to demonstrate just outside the village of Hillsborough this evening.
Irish Anti-War Movement (IAWM) Chairman, Mr Richard Boyd, Barrett told ireland.comhe expected several thousand activists to travel from the Republic. The IAWM has arranged for six coaches to bring protesters to the Hillsborough area from Dublin. According to Mr Boyd Barrett thousands more will travel "under their own steam".
The coaches - which are all fully booked - were due to leave from Liberty Hall in Dublin at 1.30 p.m.
He also called on all political parties who are against the war on Iraq to boycott meeting Mr Bush. He said his movement rejected that the Bush/Blair summit had anything to do with the peace process and was a "propaganda exercise".
"It's a sickening hypocrisy that Bush and Blair are trying to play the role of peacemakers while they are waging an immoral and illegal war in Iraq," Mr Boyd Barrett said.
Other groups joining the protest include the Labour Party, the Green Party, the Northern Ireland Congress of Trade Unions and Sinn Féin.
Sinn Féin chairperson Mr Mitchel McLaughlin said today that party activists are mobilising to attend anti-war protests at Hillsborough. He said that while Sinn Féin regard the engagement of US administrations in the Irish peace process as positive, they are totally opposed to the invasion of Iraq.
Mr McLaughlin said: "We regard the engagement of US Administrations in the Irish Peace Process as positive. However, we are strongly opposed to the invasion of Iraq.
"We will be conveying our opposition to the war on Iraq directly to both the British Prime Minister and the US President."
Ulster Unionist Party leader Mr David Trimble rounded on politicians including Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams for voicing their opposition to the invasion of Iraq.
"When we look at the Irish republican involvement in this, these were people who quite happy to kill for an ignoble cause, who were prepared to pursue a war to undermine democracy and who now oppose the liberation of people and the freeing of them from what is undoubtedly an evil dictatorship," said Mr Trimble.
He added: "So we look at the prancing around of some individuals and there will be a sense of hurt amongst those who are standing along side coalition forces at this time."
The village of Hillsborough will be sealed off to everyone but residents during the President's two-day visit. Mr Bush is due to arrive in Belfast International Airport at 6 p.m. He will then travel to Hillsborough Castle where Mr Blair will welcome him.
The Northern Ireland Office said the media would have no access to the village due to "security considerations". Journalists will be based about three miles down the road at Sprucefield.