Travellers and activists to protest new Public Order Act

Monday May 06, 2002 21:34

by vbnm

FEATURED ARTICLES Travellers and activists to protest new Public Order Act Activists have often criticised the restrictions placed on protests and direct actions under the Public Order Act - and prosecutions under the Act have increased in recent years. Now they have been joined by Traveller groups in calling for a protest on May 2nd against a set of amendments to the Act pushed through the D*°il last month that create, for the first time, a crime of "trespass". This featured article takes a look at the current offences that have been used against political protesters, and the changes that the Government made under the anti-Traveller amendments Under these new laws, tagged onto the end of an otherwise normal housing bill, it's now a crime to enter and occupy or bring any object onto property (private or for the use of the public) where doing so would (among other things) damage,

i can't believe you fools are protesting this. heaven forbid there should be a sensible law anywhere in the republic of ireland. my aunt is a solicitor and I can not count the number of times i have been in a car driving aorund with her and she points places that had been invaded by the "travellers". She has told me repeatedly that it costs 15,000 pounds to go through the courts and get an eviction order, but that the travellers are more than willing to take 10,000 pounds to leave right away, without all the trouble of going to court. the whole thing is just a scam on the part of the travellers. how do they get all those new caravans? by shaking down law abiding citizens. there is no way in the world it is fair to ordinary people to have to pay 10,000 pouds to get people off their land who shouldnt even be there in the first place.

the last time i was in dublin my aunt drove me by a park that was completely trashed out and destroyed- the former home of a group of travellers. then we had hardly gone 2 miles down the road before we came to the very same group of travelers camped out on a private football field and in the process of destroying that, just a few months after it had been refurbished by the owners. and the guards wouldnt do anything. who in all the world doesnt know that you cant set up your home on a brand new, private football field? only the travellers. well screw them and their ilk. if you can't be a helpful part of society, at least you can refrain from being a destructive force.

anyone who protests this has got some serious problems.