Yesterday's Trial of Peace Activists in Tulla

Friday March 28, 2003 14:10

by Mad Butcher

Partial Report on trial of peace activists in Tulla, Clare, Yesterday.

As assault charges were dropped yesterday (27th March) against Scottish poet and novelist Robert Fulton, peace campaigners are confident that the DPP will now bring charges against Sgt Thomas McGrath of Finglas Garda Station and Sgt Kiernan Murphy of Tallaght Garda Station.

Peace campaigners are expecting the DPP to charge both sergeants with deliberately lying in Tulla District court on March 27th.

In his written statement Sgt Kienan Murphy wrote:

"Robert Fulton...ducked his head down and without warning charged at me
in a rugby style charge. He hit me with his shoulder into my stomach. He was standing about five to six yards in front of me when he made this charge."

In his written statement Sgt Thomas McGrath explained that:

"a protester put down his head and charges at Sgt. Murphy."

"Sgt Murphy was hit into the stomach by the protester when charged at
him."

"The protester had charged at a distance of approximately 20 feet."

Inspector Tom Kennedy repeatedly used this evidence when Robert Fulton was in the dock.

However, using photographic evidence Robert Fulton was able to prove that he was at the most three feet from the guards, and that no rugby style charge had ever taken place. His assault charges were dismissed.

Protestors are now confident that the DPP will be pressing charges against Sgt Kieran Murphy and Sgt Thomas McGrath.

Tallaght Garda Station can be contacted at:

01 6666 000

Finglas Garda Station can be contacted at:

01 6667 500

DPP can be contacted at: 01 6789 222

For more info on Robert Fulton (aka Rab Swannock Fulton) look at the
'About Author' section of his web novel The Kiss which can be accessed at:
http://student.nuigalway.ie/~writers/kiss/author.html

Another Garda testified that she was threatened and intimidated by having her photograph taken while arresting someone. Yes you can take a photo in a threatening and abusive manner.

4 of the defendants were found guilty of public order offences, but the two assault charges were dropped as were four public order charges. The prosecution took the “violent extremists” line….which you may have heard somewhere before.

The trials of as many as 25 people in connection to opposition to Shannon’s use by the U.S. Military, the armed troops, razor wire, and police check points which surround the airport, the soldiers recently seen on the streets of Dublin, show that the government is scared.

Non-violent direct action has forced three of the charter companies that were carrying troops through Shannon to pull out, and the government is rapidly running out of options. Thus it resorts to intimidation.

However they are not being successful, nor will they be. This can clearly be seen by the recent spread of non-violent direct action, the occupation of an Aviation Authority Office in Dublin on Monday, the blockade of a Top Oil truck on the same day, the blockade of the Dail last Thursday, the picket on a Top Oil filling station in Dublin also last Thursday, the occupation of a Fianna Fail office in Cork last Saturday, and the march to take place in Shannon this Sunday.

The fact that hundreds of Garda didn’t manage to accumulate enough evidence to convict on the two assault charges and half the public order charges, clearly give lie to the assertions from various quarters that March 1st was going to be a day of “violent extremism”.

4 people convicted yesterday, one person fined 100 euro, two people fined 400 euro and bound to the peace for two years and banned from County Clare for two years, and one person got probation.

All support which has been received thus far is appreciated and more will be needed, both for this lot and others.