On 24 September a protest took place at Shannon Airport against the continuing occupation of Iraq and the Irish government's active support for it.

The airport has been used for the past three years for refuelling US warplanes. Over 500,000 US troops have used the airport on their way to and from Iraq. Another example of the Irish government's complicity in the war is that it spends €10,000, every day subsidising the US military to use Shannon. Therefore, it is not surprising that Bush's envoy to Ireland, Richard Hass, stated that Shannon is crucial to US operations in Iraq and would be difficult to replace.

Over 400 participated in the protest. Although the numbers on the protest were down compared to previous anti-war demonstrations, there was a considerable number of young people from Shannon town who marched. Undoubtedly, the presence of the US military machine on their doorstep has had an effect on their political outlook.

Socialist Youth and Socialist Party members, North and South, participated on the protest. We had the most youthful contingent on it, with lively chants. We were the only group on the protest to point out the link between the capitalist system and the war in Iraq, along with arguing for a socialist alternative to both.

Socialist Youth organised a bus that came from Dublin, with mainly young people on it. Members from SY and SP also came on buses from Belfast, Cork and Limerick, and leafleted schools in the lead up to the protest. In one case, this resulted in a Socialist Youth member in Limerick being "disciplined" by the school authorities for actively opposing the war in his school. However, the school authorities were forced to back down after we organised a letter writing campaign in protest.

Roisin, 18 years old, told an SY member, "It was a great. Straying into politics for the first time, socialism is starting to look appealing."

James, 21, said. "I am against the use of Shannon, a civilian airport as a US army base. As a result Ireland has become a terrorist target".

In recent weeks secondary students in Ardscoil Ris, Limerick stood up against ageism and totalitarianism in schools and we won.

Eight of us gave leaflets to students from our school as they left school. Then the principal tried to punish us, thinking she could get away with it, but she was wrong.

We were reprimanded and our parents were called. The real issue, however, was clear to some parents: there is no reason, law or rule stopping us leafleting on public property in our own time. This is to be expected from the ageist, conservative and undemocratic school officials. We refused to let this go and decided to take a stand. Through the web, SY and other groups, hundreds of supporters emerged in a mater of hours. We also had some media, solicitors and Socialist Party representatives on our side.

We prepared a campaign, which included phone calls, letters, emails and press coverage - hitting them from all angles, and we won the right to leaflet our school.

This important victory shows how we can beat education officials in future by standing up and fighting our ground. Now what we need is to organise throughout the country - setting up student action groups and linking up into a national, fighting school students' union and political force.

Michael McDowell is pushing ahead with his plans for the Criminal Justice Bill, which includes the introduction of Anti-Social Behaviour Orders (ASBOs).

He wants to have this legislation on the statute book by Christmas if possible so he can start a further crackdown on young people's rights.

ASBOs in Britain have already been used to criminalise protest, having been granted against protestors at the world's largest arms fair and Palestinian rights campaigners. They have also been used in Britain to criminalise young people wearing hoodies and playing loud music! In Ireland, these orders will be another weapon in the repressive arsenal of the State to crack down on dissent and protest.

Young people have a vested interest in opposing this Bill. ASBOs will be employed predominantly against us. Instead of criminalizing young people, the government should be providing much needed youth facilities to help combat anti-social behaviour.

Over the next months, Socialist Youth will be trying to mobilise young people around the country to demand the scrapping of this Bill. We will be doing campaigning stalls and holding public meetings around the country, trying to get young people active. If you are interested in campaigning alongside us, contact 086 1688050.