Three More Jailed

by Dexters Mon Oct 13, 2003 13:17

I am not trying to be funny but I was under the illusion that our prisons were overcrowded!

How can they find room for all these people?

Another disgraceful decision.

by Michael Mc Dowell - PDiddys Mon Oct 13, 2003 13:25

We release the murderers, drug dealers and rapists. These communists and anarchists are a far greater threat to society.

by Blanchardstown Mon Oct 13, 2003 13:48

FINGAL COUNTY COUNCIL SUCCESSFUL COLLECTION OF 99% OF BINS

Fingal County Council has completed analysis of their bin collection routes over the past week and is pleased to report that as of last Friday 99% of bins in the Fingal area are now being collected.

800 homes in the North Mulhuddart Electoral area remain without a collection. These include the following estates Drumheath, Ladyswell, Wellview, Parslickstown and parts of Whitestown (Dublin 15).

Fingal County Council successfully completed their bin collection routes in Dublin 15 including Fortlawn, Huntstown Wood, Huntstown Lawn, Sheepmoor and parts of Whitestown over the past week.

According to Gilbert Power, Director of Services for Environment, Fingal County Council, this refutes suggestions by the Socialist Party that the Council were abandoning areas in Dublin 15.

“Since our policy of non collection began on 10th September bin tagging has consistently risen to near full compliance in the Fingal area. We have been determined to restore services, particularly in Dublin 15 since protesters began obstructing our work. We have continued to return to estates again and again to ensure collection. We are pleased that the areas listed above, who were without a collection for several weeks, have now had their backlog cleared”.
Fingal County Council continues to offer a service at the Coolmine Industrial Estate where residents can dispose of four rubbish sacks for a €5.00 bin tag.

According to Gilbert Power the revenue generated from the significant increase in bin tag sales will be ploughed back into further recycling facilities. “While the Dublin 15 area is relatively well serviced in terms of green routes we plan to significantly expand our facilities there early in 2004. These plans include the development of a large recycling facility in the Coolmine Industrial Estate. We have received some funding for the Coolmine project from the Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government and the increased revenue from the sale of bin tags will meet the balance of costs.”

The Council also intends to increase the number of Bring Banks in the Dublin 15 area as well as adding to green routes in the North of the County before Christmas. All of the Dublin 15 area are serviced by Green Routes which should mean that residents who are not entitled to bin tags free of charge will only put their bin out every fortnight, according to Gilbert Power residents should be recycling tins, plastic, bottles and paper. “It was interesting to note in some recent photographs of rubbish illegally dumped in a green area in Mulhuddart that much of the material could actually have been recycled. There is no need to dump this rubbish illegally as the green bins are provided free of charge to residents and bottles and plastics can be taken to Bring Banks and our facility at Dunsink”.

Total income from the sale of bin tags in Fingal in the month of September was €568,000 as compared to €292,000 in the previous month. According to Gilbert Power this confirms the statistics issued previously by Fingal County Council. “ We know from the drop in the levels of calls to our Environment Department that the overwhelming majority of our residents are now tagging their bins. I would like to thank the public for their patience during service interruption and restate that we will continue to endeavour to help the final 800 homes affected by the actions of a small number of protesters”.

by SF press Mon Oct 13, 2003 13:48

TD slams jailing of more Bin Tax protesters

Sinn Féin TD Aengus O Snodaigh has condemned the imprisonment of three of his constituents this morning for taking part in protests against the Bin Tax. The three women, who include a prominent Sinn Féin activist for the area, received sentences of up to two weeks from the Courts.

The Dublin South-Central TD said: "There are now 15 people in prison, including a TD and a councillor because of the Government's insistence on criminalising peaceful political protest. The imprisonment of these three women this morning shows that the Courts in this country are no longer a place of justice, but of injustice. The Courts are being used to criminalise working class people taking part in political protests while the corrupt and the greedy go unpunished.

"I know both Chrissy, who is a member of Sinn Féin locally, and her daughter Karen very well. They are not criminals, they are people who have taken a principled stand in opposition to the imposition of an unjust system of double taxation. They do not deserve this treatment and they have my full support.

"Despite a march of thousands of people in Dublin on Saturday and the open and committed support of growing numbers of Trade Unionists, the Government has clearly not grasped the enormity of the anger on the streets and in communities right across Dublin.

"These women, along with the others imprisoned for their activities in the Bin Tax campaign should be released immediately." ENDS

by Des Derwin Mon Oct 13, 2003 13:58 dderwin at gofree dot indigo dot ie

Whatever about her behavior and that of her organisation at the Trades Council march on Saturday, Brid, along with two more couragous women, has had the courage and determination to face jail to fight the bin tax. Let's all redouble our efforts to get them out and bin the tax.

To the National Executive Council of SIPTU: We will continue to go to jail. Colleagues, how many do you want locked up before you put Liberty Hall's celebration of 'The Risen People' into a little practice?!

Des Derwin
President, Electronics and Engineering Branch
Member SIPTU Dublin Regional Executive Committee
Candidate for SIPTU Vice President
Angry Union member!!!!!

by Chekov - WSM & anti-bin tax Mon Oct 13, 2003 14:05

Regardless of the internal debates within the movement, everybody should come out and support these activists who have been jailed for taking part in peaceful protests. Get along to Mountjoy this evening.

by Fintan Lane Mon Oct 13, 2003 14:11

Don't think they'll be reading this, but well done to all three! Well done Brid!

by binned Mon Oct 13, 2003 14:28

well done for further burdening the tax-payers of this country with massive legal an prison fees. going to jail for preventing the majority from recieving a service that they paid for isnt praise-worthy.

now im not 100% serious because whatever about my belief on the situation the jailings are an affront to democracy in light of the political and local autority corruption we see all the time. we all agree on jailing the real criminals.

by Paul - Irish Socialist Network Mon Oct 13, 2003 14:34 irishsocialistnetwork at dublin dot ie

Whatever about recent squabbles - fair play.
Time for the union leadership to get off their arses and push things forward.
Jail 15 - jail us all.

by Dublin Campaign Against The Bin Tax - DCABT Mon Oct 13, 2003 14:54 HOTLINE: 087 2837989

Dublin Campaign Against The Bin Tax

Press Release: Jailing of activsts condemned

The Dublin Campaign Against The Bin Tax has condemned today’s imprisonment of another three activists; Chrissy and Karen Heffernan and Brid Smith.

Secretary (and acting PRO) of the Dublin Campaign Against the Bin Tax, Joe Mooney, said:

"Another three activists have been jailed for so-called ‘contempt of court’. The only contempt we have seen in the city is revealed in the attitudes of the courts and the government towards a peaceful civil disobedience campaign.

Serious questions must be asked as to how our supposedly grossly overcrowded prison system can have space waiting to accommodate non-criminal prisoners who are guilty merely of opposing an unjust tax."

The Dublin Campaign Against the Bin Tax confirms that the campaign will escalate and actions are planned across the city starting from tomorrow morning.

[ENDS]

by Degenerate Mon Oct 13, 2003 14:59

...but its amazing that with the PRO jailed, we already see a reaction quicker than last Thursday, when ten people were jailed.

Now that both a SWP and SF member has been jailed, is it possible that we might see more involvement from ALL their members.

by 1 of Indymedia Ireland Editorial Group - Indymedia Ireland Mon Oct 13, 2003 15:11

Whoever is posting under the name of Ronan Stenson (it's not Ronan) on the site today should cop on. You might think that it is funny or clever; it's not. Grow up you muppet.

by Janus Mon Oct 13, 2003 15:25

Though Chrissy Heffernan is the first SF activist jailed several of the people jailed in Finglas are SF supporters.

by Degenerate Mon Oct 13, 2003 15:29

But if SF were to put the effort in that Dessie and his supporters were, we would be doing even better, hence why I put ALL.
I wasn't insinuating that ALL were holding back.

by Janus Mon Oct 13, 2003 15:40

Very much in agreement on that. Sinn Fein's response has been very erratic, in parts of Dublin they're involved in blockades and heavily involved in the campaign Finglas and South Central for example, and in other parts of Dublin, South Dublin County Council and others, they're nowhere to be seen.

by Chekov Mon Oct 13, 2003 15:50

Three more anti-bin charge protesters jailed By Elaine Edwards Last updated: 13-10-03, 13:30

Three more anti-bin charge campaigners have been sent to jail today.

Ms Brid Smith, public relations officer for the Dublin Campaign Against the Bin Tax, was sentenced to two weeks in prison.

Ms Chrissy Heffernan (60) was also jailed for two weeks and Ms Karen Heffernan, the mother of a 14-month-old baby, was given a week-long jail term. Both are from the Mount Tallant area of Dublin.

Speaking for the Ballyfermot campaign, Dr Peadar O'Grady said: "We, the Campaign Against the Bin Tax, are outraged by the continued heavy handed sentencing of the courts while corrupt politicians walk in and out of tribunals unimpeded."

"We will not be cowed by the courts, the campaign will continue to resist this unjust double tax".

Protesters will demonstrate outside Mountjoy prison at 7 p.m. this evening. The will also hold a "day of action" at all Dublin refuse depots tomorrow morning.

Ten campaigners were jailed last Thursday when they failed to give undertakings not to interfere with Dublin City Council's bin collections.

They joined Socialist Party TD Mr Joe Higgins and his party colleague, Councillor Clare Daly, who were the first people to be jailed for their protests. Both are due for release from Mountjoy on Saturday at the end of a month-long sentence.

Meanwhile, anti-bin charge campaigners in the Fingal area have warned that they intend to run candidates against sitting councillors in next year's local elections.

The Fingal Anti-Bin Tax Campaign is to officially announce the move this evening. Protesters are expected to gather outside Fingal County Council's head office in Swords as the monthly council meeting takes place between 4 p.m. and 7 p.m.

Ms Ruth Coppinger, a Socialist Party councillor with Fingal County Council, said tonight would mark the beginning of a political campaign and that councillors would be made aware of plans to challenge their seats next year.

She said she believed the anti-bin charge campaign had "majority support" in the area, although she accepted that the number of people paying for bin tags had increased.

"There has been an increase, but most people who are tagging their bins are doing so because of public health concerns." Some people had also disposed of their own rubbish in council trucks, she said.

Campaigners in the Dun Laoghaire Rathdown council area will also stage a protest outside that local authority's offices this evening.

by Worker in uniform Mon Oct 13, 2003 15:53

It has just been reported that Clare Daly and five other women were apprehended whilst in the process of escaping from Mountjoy.
It is believed that this coincided with a news report of the imminent arrival of Brid Smith.
Report to be updated

by Janus Mon Oct 13, 2003 16:00

With members of the Socialist Party, Socialist Workers Party, Sinn Féin and the Irish Socialist Network has the time come for political segregation of Bin tax prisoners?

Otherwise we might have the possibility of Brid and Claire in the same cell and only one walking out. As political prisoners they should not be treated as ordinary criminals.

Different wings should be set up for republicans, trots, other trots, unaligned socialists (Colm Bhreathnach) and civilians.

On another note, will Brid Smith be searched for copies of the Socialist Worker before she enters the prison. It's a lot harder for people in jail to get away from those people, nowhere to run.

by iosaf Mon Oct 13, 2003 16:10

indeedy Janus, judging by the judgements the judges are planning release days to co-incide.
So next week the Catholic Workers can get banged up for one week, and next wednesday an anarchist will volunteer for one night of remand at the Bridewell.
- All prisoners are political.

by conor (wsm personal capacity) Mon Oct 13, 2003 16:11

I never thought i'd say it but I also have to say fair play to Brid and the other two courageous people its not an easy thing to do.

Meantime if anyone is in the Dun Laoghaire area and can't make it too the Mounjoy demo theres a picket at the council meeting - (opposite the DART station) at 7 pm this evening - good chance to eye ball the fecking councilors

Conor

by Cheeky Derwin Mon Oct 13, 2003 16:13

Des Derwin has some cheek posting here complaining about Brid Smith - he stopped Brid [the PRO of the Dublin campaign!] from speaking at the demonstration on Saturday.

by Janus Mon Oct 13, 2003 16:16

While my above post was very much tongue in cheek, I am not going to ignore the old Anarchist (Correct me if I'm wrong but I think of it as an Anarchist thing) cliche that 'all prisoners are political'. No, they're not. Some are criminals, some are as big a threat to working class communties as the State. 'All prisoners are political' is nothing more than trite theoretical sloganeering.

There is a hell of a difference between someone like Joe Higgins or any of ther other bin charge protestors and someone doing time for rape, assault, dealing etc.

And don't quote me statistics about how social exclusion leads to criminal activity, I can quote them just as easily as you. Being poor doesn't give you a mandate to be a crim, it explains it.

by Worker in uniform Mon Oct 13, 2003 16:22

"my above post was very much tongue in cheek"

So was my NEWSFLASH and I didn't think it would break protocol.

by Derwin Defender Mon Oct 13, 2003 16:31

Cheeky, Brid wasn't invited to speak.

She is a minor officer (PRO rather than Secretary or Chair) of one of the four area campaigns. She was not delegated to speak by the City area campaign.

Should all of the officers of all of the campaigns have been allowed to speak, without even being chosen to do so by their own campaign?

The real issue here is that the SWP wanted a speaker and the Trades Council wouldn't let them have one. If you want to complain about that, fair enough, but stop using the fact that Brid holds an officer post in one of the four campaigns as a smokescreen.

by old anarchist. open shirt. happy with the snappy slogans. - purists to the last. Mon Oct 13, 2003 16:33

is more than the glib sociology oh the poor victims of the system slogan it at first appears to be Janus, it is sadly true.

there is undoubtedly a hell of a difference between the 15 inside for resisting an unfair tax, and the others inside for sexual or violent crime, but all are inside because of political inability to deal with penology, justice, rehabilitation, isolation of monsters, and retribution.

Not all prisoners are criminals.
¿is that an easier slogan to deal with?

by Des Derwin Mon Oct 13, 2003 19:23 dderwin at gofree dot indigo dot ie

I did not complain about Brid here. I called for all to get behind her, including my Union - with some practice.

I did not stop her from speaking on Saturday. I have no such power. I did point out that the speakers had already been decided at a meeting of the DCTU excecutive.

At this time it is not the occasion to get into a debate on what happened on Saturday. Brid is in jail and we should all rally around her, and the others', admirable stand. See you at seven.

by Mojojojo Mon Oct 13, 2003 21:35

Why does anybody care that these tax defaulters are sent to jail for breaking a Court injunction. Surely thats a positive thing in a modern democratic society, otherwise we could all do what we like. I actually don't want to pay insurance or tax on my car, and I definately dont want to pay a TV licence fee to watch the sort of crap, like Primetime, that RTE churns out. However, in a democracy I must accept that these are the ruels so I obey them. The 3 jailed today do not deserve an ounce of sympathy from anybody. They too should pay their way like everybody else.

by Bad laws are made to be broken Mon Oct 13, 2003 21:56

Haven't you heard or are you that stoned out on 'E' with a rave name like 'Mojojojo' that these services charges are unjust and unfair taxes, therefore they are bad laws. Bad laws are made to be broken. Indeed people have a duty and an obligation to break bad laws. Ever heard of "The Boston Tea Party" 'Mojojojo'? If people were to apply your warped and twisted mentality 'Mojojojo' people wouldn't even have bothered to rise up and build a resistance to the Nazis.

by Lars Mon Oct 13, 2003 22:18

And neither the SWP or Sinn Fein escape that accusation.

So they finally got out and did something. Where have both these parties been the past few weeks?

Testing water...

http://www.indymedia.ie/newswire.php?story_id=61586&condense_comments=false#comment49225

by the phi Mon Oct 13, 2003 23:06

neither SF nor SWM have any advantage at this point from counting or not counting on imprisoned members. You may think they are opportunistic because you don't like them, but honestly the only opportunistic jailings at this point in the "local authority autonomy", "double taxation" ,"civil disobedience", "exercise of democracy" messy that the Bin Tax has become would be the jailing of two FF TDs.

Now that they have shortened the retributive sentances on bin tax activists I doubt very much they will go that course and Lars thus get _opportunistic_.

It helps when you are far far away.

by anarchist Mon Oct 13, 2003 23:45

considering the sinners and anti cannabis / drugs campaigners like to police working class people and in the provos case detain and beat them it will be intersting to see them get a bit of their own medicine, chances are the screws will treat them a lot better than they dish out.

wannabe rulers jockeying for power and publicity. they dont even trust the communities they claim to be working for

by Killian Tue Oct 14, 2003 02:15

Anarchist - you say "they dont even trust the communities they claim to be working for".

Ok good, its original and different. Now humour us with an explanation as I really am dying to hear the "logic" behind this one!!

by Disgusted Tue Oct 14, 2003 17:32

That anybody who even dares make a valid criticism of him is automatically deleted. Answers please IMC editorial without the usual abuse that is trademark of you'se of anyone who even dares to criticise you unelected goons.

by 1 of IMC Tue Oct 14, 2003 18:04

You made a series of allegations against Ronan Stenson. None of these allegations had the tiniest bit of evidence attached. They were libellous, unsubstantiated, anonymous, personal attacks that had nothing to do with the article in question.

You should grow up (and you're old enough to know better!) and stop using indymedia to grind your personal axes.

by PK Tue Oct 14, 2003 18:30

"You should grow up (and you're old enough to know better!) and stop using indymedia to grind your personal axes."

Just wondering. The you're old enough to know better comment seems to imply that you know who you are addressing your comments to.

Has the privacy policy changed?

by 1 of IMC Tue Oct 14, 2003 18:52

But I have a good idea who the poster is. The comment was attempting to get our anonymous contributor to cop on and let him know that you always give something away about yourself when you post such slanders - without infringing his privacy and right to post anonymously, which is very dear to my heart.

by Earth Citizen Wed Oct 15, 2003 03:55

"I have a good idea who the poster is"
Do you think he is acting alone? or could he be a kind of "ghost writer"?
I intend to have fun exposing these trolls, just as I did with KJIFAN

by Brian Sat Oct 18, 2003 17:55

Glad to see PK supporting privacy. When the seainin was outed pk said nothing about privacy, I dont care about seainins privacy but PK has an unusual interest in the privacy of this latest troll, why? Do you know them? Who is it pk?

by PK Tue Oct 21, 2003 11:31

PK never made a comment about seainins outing because he didn't notice it. How did it happen, why did it happen and who is he.

Brian go back and read what I wrote, all I asked was whether there had been a change in the privacy policy.