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3,000 march peacefully against Police violence national |
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news report
 Thursday May 09, 2002 20:45 by Simon Basketter - SWP
 Some 3,000 people march against police brutality and in defence of the right to protest following a rally, called by Globalise Resistance, against the Garda riot on Monday's Reclaim the Streets. Some 3,000 people marched against police brutality and in defence of the right to protest this evening. (That's the Times's estimate http://www.ireland.com/newspaper/breaking/2002/0509/breaking58.htm) The protest, called by Globalise Resistance, was in respose to the Police Riot against the Reclaim the Streets Street Party on Bank Holiday Monday. The corporate media coverage had shifted from that of recent days, to now predicting terror on the streets. They wasn't any, but then again it wasn't surprising because there weren't that many cops in evidence. (Though quite a few were sweating in vans at various points nearby.) The crowd swelled at the end of Pearse Street. Passers by blending into the protest. Outside Pearse St Garda Station "Just say sorry" was written in chalk on the steps. From one of the many windows in Trinity college with people watching the protest, hung a banner which read "No Excuse." One banner was carried by Travellors from Pavee Point, Another read "Hugs not thugs". "No to police brutality", "Who watches the watchman", "The only that should be batonned is a bongo", "the Gardai are the real criminals" read placards, and those of no affliation and from Globalise Resistance and the Socialist Workers Party. As well as a statement from Reclaim the Streets being read out (sorry didn't catch the name), speakers included: Des Bonass from the The Dublin Council of Trade Unions, A speaker from the Irish Council of Civil Liberties, Kieran Allen from the Socialist Workers Party, Joe Higgins from the Socialist Party, Daithi Doolan from Sinn Finn, Andrew Flood from the Workers Solidarity Movement and a couple of others I missed (sorry again). All the speakers, (those I could hear) condemmed the police violence, many pointed out the inadequecy of the Garda investigating themselves. Others pointed to the pattern developing where a conserted effort is being made to criminalise the anti-capitalist movement. People dressed as cops cheerfully kept the protest in order with inflatable batons. Other banners included Sinn Fein, Labour and the Workers Solidarity Movement. People then marched chanting "Whose streets -- our streets" Calmly and in good nature the crowd moved up Dame Street, the violent elements present, readily identifiable by the uniforms, generally behaving themselves. At the corner of Dame Street / Parliament street there was a sit down protest for few minutes before the crowd streamed into the Civic Offices. On Monday the the cops tried to batter the movement of the streets, (again)-- they failed instead they showed just who is responsible for violence in this society. Anti-capitalism 3,000 -- Cops 0 |
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Comments (13 of 13)
Jump To Comment: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13Well done on tonight's peaceful protest. They were expecting another riot, but you proved them wrong. I'm proud of ye!
I have to say that what we did today was a big sucess.
Fair play to the organisers and more importantly fair play to the ranks of protestors.
There was some momentum there.
A victory for free speech thats what I call it.
Can anybody tell me who where all the speaker where?
They are above and there was one or two organisers and some lady who got duffed on monday.
The SWP person clearly said there was some other but didn't know who
I read the member s of the Labour party where there didn't see them did one of there member speak?
finally acheived- a peaceful sit down protest when, briefly, we owned the street.
apart from one or two (mainly drunk) groups, everyone showed that its possible to protest peacefully and that we don't need to resort to violence.
good for all of yiz
well it was a great experience today, but where were the leaders. after we began to leave pearse street everyone just followed the guy with the megaphone. then we had a sit down and no one seemed to know what to do next. maybe the organisers hadnt expected that we would be allowed to sieze dame street. the truth is we had control of the area, and it felt great. 2,500 strong young peole is a good army, imagine what we could have done. WE WERE RIGHT OUTSIDE DUBLIN CASTLE. the centre of british repression for centuries, and still the centre of the church-state-capital axis today, it has never been captured by anyone. it was handed over in 1922, WE COULD HAVE CHANGED HISTORY! this unique position cannot be replicated. what the fuck was the point of going to wood quay?? it shows the lack of leadership in the whole thing. ok it was anarchist orientated and there was never meant to be any leaders, but surely some sort of popular front committee could be set up to have special markings and megaphones and give us information on how they think our mass strength could be best used. we were like sheep who briefly ruled the farm.....
(the book)
It was extremely hard to hear some of the speakers even from where I was standing (about 15 feet from the megaphone). I know that the person who got hit on Monday was Cliona Carberry (she lives near me).
I'm glad my fears weren't realised. Well done to all concerned.
Shane - you're taking the piss aren't you?
Everyone is congratulating the SWP/GR for this terrific demo that went off peacefully. I could of course go on a rant about the unsubtle takeover of the entire demo by the electioneers, but I would just like to point out that the demo was at the complete discretion of the pigs because the SWP/GR LIAISED with them, to the point where the filth actually decided where the march should go to, and when and where it should disperse. I thought we were supposed to be protesting at the fascistic nature of the police, or as GR put it "a protest for civil liberties." How was any statement whatsoever made when the bastards were still pandered to?
ps. yeah shane you really are taking the piss aren't you?
i am definetly not taking the piss. the time of peaceful and reformist protest has passed. the time for direct and VIOLENT or at least subversive action has come. pie-throwing cells, paint bombs, bursting the tyres of the mercs outside the dail, and counter-election activities need to be formed.