Spotters at Bal on Easter Sunday

[Frank]

IrishMilitaryOnline.com has been down for nearly a week now and I've no idea what the problem is, we'll just have to wait and see if it comes back.

[sealion]

Quote (Short finals @ 22 April 2006,15:05)

Sealion Not having been at the scene, I would not claim to know exactly what transpired outside Baldonnel last Sunday. You may be better informed.

http://www.obin.org/video/irlandia/16-04-06-baldonnel.mpg

[Joe0]

Thanks for the welcomes Fogua and Guinness.  

If the gardai ended up returning the scanners then it probably was some one just over reacting at the scene.

[Fouga]

What a video! thanks for posting didnt realise they were that bad.

[sealion]

Considering that is the protestors edited hilights, I'd love to see footage from the other side.
I understand a female Garda was assaulted by some of the protestors. Odd how thats not included...

[GoneToTheCanner]

Hi all
Short Final, I have to take issue with your remark that the authorities have been less than accomodating in Ireland, with regard to access for spotters.That might be the case in the public airports, especially since 9/11,but it's not the case in Baldonnel. In all my time there, access to Baldonnel has been easy to arrange and extensive access to the aircraft and facilities has always been available.I have often given tours or set them up for people and the personnel in there have always been totally welcoming and always available for information.I would say that photographic access to Baldonnel is better than any opther airport in the country and definitely better than any equivalent base abroad, as many tourist with experience of foreign air bases have told me.It's a bit more difficult to get a visit than it used to be, but it's certainly not that hard.In the last year alone, I have arranged for one author and two school groups to go in and they were given wide access and first-class treatment.
Just because a few peaceniks get a hard time doesn't mean that the screws have been tightened.
regards
GttC

[Irish251]

GttC

I fully accept that visiting groups or individuals on approved tours of the base are very well treated and I regularly see reports to that effect, including from visitors from the UK and the Netherlands, for example.

My remarks about viewing activity at EIME were in the context of taking photos, using binoculars etc. to watch routine activity from outside the base and referred primarily to how such activities are regarded by the Gardaí.  On Easter Sunday it was certainly not viewed by them as a welcome or appropriate activity.

[SousaTeuszii]

Hi Guys,
My experience is that there is no problem veiwing activity in or around Baldonnel. Unfortunately people have to remember that during that day Baldonnel was on a heightened state of alert due to credible intelligence that some dunder heads were going to attempt to break into the airfield. This proved to be correct when a number of masked personnel were confronted by the Garda in Baldonnel business park.
It is unfortunate that genuine spotters are treated in a less then usually friendly manner but during heightened times of security mix ups do happen.
If you dont want to get mixed up with security problems stay away from military installations during problem periods. Besides anything flying that day could be photographed any day, the formations didnt happen over Baldonnel.
ST

[Irish251]

ST

(a) How were people to know that this was a "problem period" ?

(b)Several of the aircraft did return to Baldonnel in formation.

SF