Reclaim the Streets Media Beat-up begins

by Lion - RTS Mon Sep 16, 2002 17:29

I like this bit:

"The rally is being advertised through graffiti and posters across Dublin as a "free party"."

Then two lines later:

"The whole secrecy of the event is of concern to us"

Nice work plod - a 'secret' event being advertised through posters and graffiti across the city! So secret that its on the front page of the Sunday Times!

Incidentally, although I think that this is about as good coverage as the Murdoch Press can come up with, and the journo was pretty good, still there are a few inventions in the article.

"The Reclaim the Streets rally is expected to be attended by at least 1,000 people, although there could be three times that number say the organisers."

Pure invention, we said no such thing.

"The anti-globalisation protesters are planning to colonise at least two streets"

Again pure invention, the journo seemed pretty keen on this one, wonder where he got it from?

It's interesting to observe that, despite the fact that the journo seemed pretty decent and obviously did a bit of research, the journo has to quote things like estimated figures, despite the fact that nobody has the faintest clue how many will show (mostly dependant on weather I'd say), and give some idea of what we're planning (now that would be real journalism!), although again he doesn't have a clue. An interesting case of how the sensationalistic demands of the media can push even the better journos to invent stuff.

by Ray Mon Sep 16, 2002 14:06

(since registration is required)

It looks like a half-decent piece* transformed into a scare story by the addition of a shock title and subheading.

(* you know, for the Sunday Times - it didn't say we'd all be armed with petrol bombs)

Gardai gear up for anarchists 15 Sep 2002

POLICE are bracing themselves for a day of disruption next Sunday as anarchists stage a street protest to coincide with the All-Ireland football final.

As more than 80,000 fans descend on the capital for the Armagh-Kerry game, riot police will be on stand-by to quell trouble at what is being advertised as a "street party" across the city centre in the afternoon. The anti-globalisation protesters are planning to colonise at least two streets and say gardai "are not invited".

The protesters insist the planned demonstration will be a peaceful anti-car one, but gardai fear that some elements are intent on causing disorder. An event which was organised by the same groups in May this year ended in violent clashes between the demonstrators and gardai, a number of whom face formal complaints for using undue force.

To further complicate matters, the rally and football final will coincide with International Car Free Day, which will also involve the shutdown of key city-centre thoroughfares. The Reclaim the Streets rally is expected to be attended by at least 1,000 people, although there could be three times that number say the organisers.

At the previous rally in May, gardai were filmed beating protesters about the head with batons on Dame Street. A criminal investigation into the actions of some members of the force followed. As part of the rally, demonstrators plan to stage an alternative All-Ireland final on the city's streets. Similar games in other European cities have severely disrupted traffic. "I hope they have a good referee," said a garda source.

The protest will also feature an on-street production of a play about the clash between protesters and gardai at the last Reclaim the Streets rally. It is a rewrite of Accidental Death of an Anarchist, a script based on the story of a protester who mysteriously fell out of a window while being interrogated by Italian police in 1969.

The crowd plan to assemble outside St Stephen's Green about one hour before the start of the football final, when the highest concentration of fans will be passing through the city centre. The rally is being advertised through graffiti and posters across Dublin as a "free party".

A city-centre superintendent said: "We will be hoping that disruption to traffic and shoppers will be kept to a minimum. But there is potential for serious disorder and we will be utilising the resources that we have, including public order units if necessary.

"The whole secrecy of the event is of concern to us. It is our experience that some groups infiltrate the protesters and are there to cause trouble."

by preacor loth Mon Sep 16, 2002 00:35 molochai_ at hotmail dot com

Generally, things can get a bit heavy in town the night after an all ireland.

I would imagine the gardai will leave the party more or less alone this time, to let it dissipate as quickly as possible.

The "resources" will be severely strained coping with the sheer amount of people exiting from Croke Park, not to mention the alcohol factor which should make it's presence felt a couple of hours after the match finishes. There have been not what I'd call "riots" but some serious indicents in the past after all-ireland matches.

I would imagine that given the above, any "trouble" will be dealt with as quickly as possible. Also, I wouldn't nessicarily expect the visitors to be wholly supportive of the event. Especially if there are traffic delays.

Police are either going to leave it alone entirely or be very swift and brutal if they deem things are getting out of hand - which given all the contrubuting factors, they may well do, later into the evening.

Whatever the outcome - I am sure the organisers are well aware that the choosing of this day adds several thousand, at best, very pissed off and possibly quite drunk fans of the loosing side into the equation. It may not, indeed, the police that prove to dispense the worst beatings on the 22nd.

Not that this is in any way right or fair treatment - but is a possible outcome and one I would be very wary of.

by Rupe M Sun Sep 15, 2002 21:46

Can someone post the text of the article here please?

by S Sun Sep 15, 2002 21:24

Boring article but also bad decision on the part of the organisers. I mean there wil 30 000 people from armagh in Dublin next Sunday, these people know how to deal with oppressive police forces. You should have left the party until after the match, then again ...

by insurgent Sun Sep 15, 2002 19:33

Bloody hell, guess this is anotehr case for cut n pasting articles of interest here. The sunday times site requires membership like ireland.com.

by billy - rts Sun Sep 15, 2002 18:14

its always nice to see the word anarchist in the papers. Mind you, not everyone involved in rts would consider themselves to be anarchist.

Rest of the story was shit by the way.