Sentences in on Bin Tax Case

by OK - SP Tue Nov 04, 2003 12:39

Breaking News: 6 jailed and fined by Judge Finnegan
News is breaking that 6 protesters from the South Dublin County Council area have been sent to prison for 3 weeks and fined €1,500 each. I do not know who the protesters yet, however I do know that Mick Murphy, Fionn Ryder and David Murphy have been inprisoned. Mick is an SP activist and candidate in the upcoming elections, Fionn is a CPSU activist and SP member, David is a member of the UCDSU Council and SP member.

by Curious Tue Nov 04, 2003 12:44

I thought there was to be nine in court this morning. Did the other three purge?

by Moi Tue Nov 04, 2003 12:47

Decent activists are locked up and fined while fianna fail drunk drivers can freely roam the highways and byways looking for more victims.
Disgraceful.

by UCDSU Tue Nov 04, 2003 13:43

UCDSU condemns the jailing of Anti Bin Tax activists and calls for their immediate release.
This morning 6 anti bin tax protesters, including UCDSU Council member David Murphy, were sent to jail for exercising their democratic right to protest.

Education Officer Oisín Kelly commented “These jailings are a disgrace. The Councils are using oppressive and unjust laws to attack local communities protesting against a regressive tax and privatisation of local services.”

Union President Paul Dillon stated: “The Jailing of David Murphy is an attack on the student movement and the right to protest. We call on other Students’ Unions around the country to oppose these jailings.”

ENDS

by toomuchtaxpaid! Tue Nov 04, 2003 14:16

I am totally in shock at more peaceful protestors being locked up for standing up for their beliefs, Where are the unions ?
What are they doing and what should we do about it ? Get on to your shop stewards and make a stance if anything can get the point across its the workforce of this country,.
Get out and stand up for your future, we need strength !!!

by Ciaran Tue Nov 04, 2003 14:47

Good luck to everyone who has to go behind bars for peacefully standing up for what they believe in.


Ciaran

by Anonymous Tue Nov 04, 2003 15:06

Glad to see UCD students union weighing in their support. If some young student blood could now be injected into the campaign it would really add some more energy and weight into it.

by Bin Tax Protestor Tue Nov 04, 2003 15:44

Does anybody know if there is anything planned for tonight.

I presume they went straight from the court to jail.

It is clear that the primary role of the Garda is to suppress all forms of dissent and activism in the State and prevent the masses from rising. Last nights program on RTE 1 on the Undercover world clearly shows that they have no interest in solving the drug and gangland problems. And why? Because by allowing communities to be wrecked and smashed it means those communities can never organise themselves to mount any serious challenge to the State. And now that the Bin Tax is the first rumblings of such resistance, we see that they are reacting rapidly and throwing people in prison. I don't think anything other than the similar treatment meated out to the Antiwar activists shows what such a high priority this is for the State.

by barmitzvah Tue Nov 04, 2003 15:49

Can someone please tell me on what charge they are being convicted?

From what I have seen in the other media sources it is for; "refusing to give an undertaking to the court not to prevent municipal workers in carrying out their duties."

Can someone in the independant media verify this?

by Chekov Tue Nov 04, 2003 15:55

For refusing to abide by a high court injunction. They can probably expect costs to be awarded against them too.

by imcer Tue Nov 04, 2003 16:07

Anyone visiting the jailed activists willing to suggest this to them as a group? Handwritten thoughts - typed up and published on the wire?

I'm sure this site would highlight the voices of those who the state are using the courts to marginalise. It's a drop in the ocean but could be an effective piece of further disobedience.

by Jonah Tue Nov 04, 2003 17:59

Crowe Condemns Harsh Bin Tax Sentences

Sinn Féin TD Seán Crowe has condemned the three week prison sentences and heavy fines handed down to anti-waste charge protestors this morning. Deputy Crowe condemned the double standards in the Irish judiciary that see white collar criminals and corrupt politicians get away scot free while peaceful political protestors get sent to prison.

Speaking in the Dublin South-West TD called for a debate on: "The sentencing of six anti-waste charge protestors this morning to three weeks imprisonment along with fines of E1,500 each and the continuing double standard in the Irish legal system. This sees people imprisoned for taking part in peaceful political protest while bigger criminals, a number of whom have sat in this Chamber, escape any punishment for corruption, tax dodging or other so-called white collar crimes."

He went on to say: "This imprisonment shows that the crackdown on political protest in Ireland continues and brings to over 20 the number of people, including members and supporters of Sinn Féin who have been imprisoned for standing up to the bully boy tactics of the Council. I have no doubt the campaign will continue." ENDS

by Tallaght bin blockader Tue Nov 04, 2003 18:19

Listen to Crowe the hypocrite: "bigger criminals" my hole. These people are not criminals, big or small.

Crowe says that he is sure that the campaign will continue. It will, but that's no thanks to him or his Tallaght SF colleage, Councillor Daly. I suppose, by comparison with Daly, Crowe has been alright. He just hasn't done anything at all for the campaign. Daly actively tried to sabotage it by telling people to pay up.

by Yogi Tue Nov 04, 2003 18:22

Following on from the first (in recent times) public meeting in Mayfield two weeks ago, there was a meeting in Ballyphehane Community Centre organised by Householders Against Service Charges last night. There were about 35-40 people in attendance.
There was a brief talk from two people who were imprisoned in Cork in the last round a couple of years ago (when the then Lord Mayor made a commitment that all bins would be collected if HASC stopped dumping their rubbish on the steps of the City Hall - shortly after that a local councillor won his case in the supreme court that forced local authorities to collect all bins in accordance with the law).
The meeting was then opened to the floor and a good number of people expressed their anger at this double taxation. A couple of people expressed a sense of isolation because the campaign has been dormant for a while and all the media reports is massive numbers of people coughing up with their bin tax when there are still a considerable number of non-payers in the city.
One activist is being brought before the courts for non-payment this Friday (I think) and it was suggested that people gather in front of the court at 10am to show solidarity and publicise the case.
A couple of other ideas were floated at the meeting.
This shows that there is still a number of people who are not paying their bin tax, have no intention of paying it and are prepared to undertake acts of civil disobedience to prevent non-collection taking hold.
A number of people stated that the most important thing for people to do in fighting the tax and privatisation is to refuse to pay the tax. In support of that, there was a leaflet passed around with legitimate suggestions for getting rid of rubbish if non-collection is implemented (planned for 17 November in Cork) - a few other suggestions were made by people in attendance.

by matt Tue Nov 04, 2003 20:54

So Sean Crowe is a hypocrite is he? Votes against the bin charges; hasn't paid them; one of 7 or 8 TDs to support the protestors; attends meetings, and raises the latest jailings in Leinster House an hour after they were handed down. What a devious hyprocrite he is.Perhaps if he was to self immolate hinself in his South Dublin County Council bin you would be happy.

by Tallaght bin blockader Tue Nov 04, 2003 21:03

I would be happy if Sean Crowe had actually bothered to mobilise his party machine in support of the anti-bin tax campaign over the last few years and if he and his SF colleagues in Tallaght would actually get involved in the blockades.

He didn't and they won't.

Crowe has done fuck all on the bin tax except turn up to a few meetings and put out a few press releases - including this one where he implies that the jailed are criminals, just not as big a pack of criminals as some others.

He is a disgrace. And a disgrace to the decent elements in Dublin SF like Chrissy Heffernan (who went to jail), Ellis and Doolin all of whom have actually done something.

The only thing you can say in Crowe's favour is that at least he isn't as bad as Tallaght SF Councillor Mark "Pay your bin tax, you don't get nothing for free" Daly.

I know that you only post on this site to shout abuse at everyone else and blather on about how great Sinn Fein are, Matt, but pull the other one.

by Janus Wed Nov 05, 2003 11:00

Frankly I'm happy for support for the campaign. I don't check a person's ideology, background and personal beliefs. Sean Crowe put out a statement supporting the people convicted yesterday. This was a good thing. If Sean Crowe hadn't put out a statement, it would have been a bad thing, if he had put out a statement condemning the bin charge campaign it would have been an even worse thing.

If a Labour TD had put out a release yesterday, or raised it in the Dail, or voted against the Charges it would also be a good thing.

For some bizarre reason, if someone supports the campaign but doesn't do enough (As judged by nameless indivduals on Indymedia) they are to be attacked as much as someone who completely opposes the campaign. Does this strike anyone else as being a bit odd?

Criticism of parties and individuals involved in the campaign is of course necessary, if done in a positive and comradely fashion that acknowledges the work that has been done. Abuse just deepens the sectarian divide in left wing politics in Ireland. Come to think of it, maybe that is the objective of it.

by Yogi Wed Nov 05, 2003 13:23

In my last comment relating to a public meeting in Ballyphehane, Cork I stated "One activist is being brought before the courts for non-payment this Friday (I think) and it was suggested that people gather in front of the court at 10am to show solidarity and publicise the case."

That should be Friday week 14 November.

by Gregor Kerr Wed Nov 05, 2003 14:54 kerrgregor at yahoo dot co dot uk

As the former PRO of the South Dublin Campaign Against Refuse Charges, currently out of the country (Anyone who knows me will probably say I'm never around when needed!!), the reports to Indymedia on the bin tax are handy for keeping in touch. My congrats and solidarity to all who have participated in the Campaign - by not paying in the first place and by supporting and participating in the blockades, especially those who have refused to be bullied by the courts and the state and have gone to jail in defence of the right to protest. However, it seems that the only jailed protestors named in the reports are members of political organisations. I know from my time working on and helping to build the campaign in South Dublin that the vast majority of activists are not members of any political organisation - they are ordinary working class people sick to the back teeth of being treated with contempt by the establishment. I know that it's probably not deliberate but - please - non-party political activists deserve the same praise and respect as members of political parties/organisations. So can anyone tell me, who's been jailed in South Dublin??

by Andrew Wed Nov 05, 2003 18:05

Fionn Ryder, Rutland Grove, Crumlin;
David Murphy, Elmcastle Park, Kilnamanagh;
Oliver Shortt, Glenmaroon Road, Palmerstown;
Finian Smyth, Brookview Drive, Tallaght;
John Murphy, Cherryfield road, Walkinstown
Oliver O'Reilly, Balrothery Estate, Tallaght.

Apparently there was some sort of cock up with Mick Murphy(and maybe one other person as we expected 8?) so he was to be sentenced today instead.