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Anti-Queen banner publican arrested - suspected connection to dissident republicans

Father of Celtic player Anthony Stokes held following dawn police raid

KATE HICKEY,

IrishCentral.com Editor

Published Friday, April 8, 2011, 5:14 PM

Updated Friday, April 8, 2011, 5:55 PM

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John Stokes photographed outside the Players Lounge with his wife

Photo by Independent

Three people have been arrested after ammunition was seized in a pub in Fairview, Dublin. This is the same pub where the courts had ordered a 40-foot banner barring the Queen to be removed just last month.

The owner of the pub, John Stokes, father of Celtic player Anthony Stokes, was among those arrested. Last month Stokes had been ordered by the courts to remove a 40-foot banner which barred Queen Elizabeth from the Player's Lounge pub in North Dublin. He was ordered by the courts not to erect another sign.

The Irish Independent reports that at 10am the police raided the bar as part of an operation targeting dissident republicans and organized crime in Ireland's capital city. The police found a handful of bullets in the shed at the back of the pub. Stokes was arrested at the scene. Cocaine with a street value of over $500 was also found in the pub.

Other private houses were also searched in Donaghmede, another suburb in north Dublin. The searches involved more than 100 officers including the special detective's unit.

A man and a woman were also arrested. All three are now being help under Section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act.

The raids are thought to be in connection to a long-running turf war between the IRA and local drug gangs. They are battling for supremacy in pubs and clubs in the city.

Last summer three men, a doorman and two customers, were shot outside Stoke's bar, Players Lounge.

On Wednesday Queen Elizabeth II confirmed that she would visit Ireland from May 17 to 20. She plans to take in some historical site including Croke Park, the scene of a massacre by British troops, and Dublin's Garden of Remembrance, which honor those who fought for Irish freedom.

Nster.com

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sirpeter | Apr 11, 2011, 09:12 PM EDT

FallsRNat..Dissident my ass..He was just protesting which is his right.Look how happy he is!! ha ha. Do you really think he would put up a banner like that if he had connections to the RIRA. You must be pretty thick Seamus..I would have thought you would know better. The guy was set up just to show the Brits we will do our best to keep her safe. The bullet proof vest and the lead lined granny knickers should help.But I suggest a fast moving bullet proof car going through Rebel Cork.

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Irishphotograph | Apr 11, 2011, 09:14 AM EDT

A united Ireland is in its future not in its past..

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Taraskryne | Apr 10, 2011, 07:39 AM EDT

Looks like a stitch up.

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JBRAFTREE | Apr 09, 2011, 09:14 PM EDT

If the old girl generates some euros for Ireland, good deal!!

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barneyjo | Apr 09, 2011, 05:03 PM EDT

@anybody - did anyone see the story relating to the grafitti that appeared in the Bogside in Derry which denegrated the memory of Ronan Kerr. It cited "Use PSNI Scum (you's PSNI Scum??) If this is indicative of the calibre of the next generation called to the "Physical Force" Tradition, then God help them!!

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FallsRNat | Apr 09, 2011, 04:13 PM EDT

If Stokes is a member of the dissidents, they should take a long hard look at themselves, if you are going to raise money for terrorists, wouldn't it be better to lie low in the community. This eejit puts an anti queen banner on his pub, no wonder with the imminent visit of the queen to the emerald isle, that the garda took an interest in him. Well done to the Garda for removing this trash from the streets, hopefully they can recover his assets under the state act & sell them to raise money to protect us from this man & his ilk.

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GeorgeDillon | Apr 09, 2011, 04:07 PM EDT

JessNiLeaca: Three posts in a row, total value nil. You're a dope! And what's with that name of yours? It's either nonsense or misspelled. Or, in your case, could be both.

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maloney | Apr 09, 2011, 02:56 PM EDT

What freedom? Arrested for a pocket full of bee bees. Old rusty ones at that. Let freedom ring. America is headed in the same direction. Freedom is only for the brit loving.

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sirpeter | Apr 09, 2011, 01:42 PM EDT

Sounds like a set up to me.€500 worth of cocaine and a few bullets. I always say people are told they are free till you pull to hard on your leash. Then you see how free you are.The leash isn't to long either.

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Sparklet | Apr 09, 2011, 11:13 AM EDT

Arrested for a banner? Worrying.

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JessNiLeacai | Apr 09, 2011, 09:32 AM EDT

leaf from their book*

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JessNiLeacai | Apr 09, 2011, 09:31 AM EDT

btw $500 or €500 worth of cocaine? Thats not much of a seizure along w a few bullets. Ah the Gardai Siochana, you lads would want to take a leaf from the American Police Officers and stick to the coffee shops and donuts.

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JessNiLeacai | Apr 09, 2011, 09:26 AM EDT

Oh god here goes George Dillon again. Ffs George get off this site. Irish people don't think theyre better than yanks. Get over yourself man. Your comments have nothing to do with this article.

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Realist | Apr 09, 2011, 06:34 AM EDT

Oh dear, oh dear....shame.

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citizen69 | Apr 09, 2011, 04:02 AM EDT

Well done gardai. Maybe Fine Gael will be somewhat more pro-active than Fianna Fail were in tackling these dissident republicans who's leaders hide-out in the Republic's border counties and slither across to the north to murder people.

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