Eyewitness report - Ashdown Gate

by Havoc - Army Sat May 01, 2004 23:48

My compliments to the police on their discipline and professionalism.

by CABHOG Sat May 01, 2004 23:49

The world has seen today, a police force of great professionalism, enjoying the support of a police force, when confronted by drunk thugs

by BushCheney'04 Sat May 01, 2004 23:54

Ye're going to get absolutely MASSACRED in the mainstream press for this one. I can just see Olivia Buckley in the FF Press office on the Phone to the Tabloid editors as I type....

by Julie (UK) Sun May 02, 2004 00:13

I want to commend the police in your country for the way in which they have shown such restraint in the face of thugs who will take any excuse to create violence, the ceremony was a true credit to the EU and your country, pity about the thugs

by cabhog Sun May 02, 2004 00:14

well said julie.

by Dwallace Sun May 02, 2004 00:16

you guys made a big mistake. U have shown yourselves to be nothing mre than troule makers. the gardai have been brilliant, u guys deserved what you got.

I get the impression that some of the protestors are just children who never grew up. living in a fantasy world? imaginary oppression???

by trox! Sun May 02, 2004 00:20

Some people seem to think this "Anyone who attacked the Gardai is in the wrong and should be detained."

rubbish -- Gardai are supporting & protecting a EU of fake inclusion an openness which is in reality the new capitalist and imperialist movement at this end of the globe. we don't want this EU & the people who support it.

And some people seem to think indymedia is censoring.

rubbish -- indymedia is about "the creation of radical, accurate, and passionate tellings of the truth" -- not for police-supporting, pro-capitalist, pro-racist, pro-rightwingy claqueurs. they have got their own outlets. if you want to read these, go there!

by Gardai Sun May 02, 2004 00:24

I an glad the gardai delt with this without loseing control.

Just be glad all you got was a shower and not shot at with papper spary and bean bags!

by cabhog Sun May 02, 2004 00:27

congratulations to the guard,

hopefully the female guard, attacked by these thugs will recover quickly and be working asap.

these people deserve our full support,

by Dwallace Sun May 02, 2004 00:29

People have been injured. Members of the Garda Siochana (two irsh words meaning Guars of the Peace) have been injured. Underneath the unifirms they are just men doing a job. trying to protect members of the public from drunken louts out to cause hassle for that sake of it, and protect some from there own stupidity.

What happened to peaceful protest? Why did the protestors even approach the gardai when it was obvious that the gardai would not let them past a certain point.

the Law is the law. you can not choose to ignore the law if it doesnt fit in with your ideological belief system or because you think its corrupt. if you wanna change something, change the law. run for election. do a better job yourself.

We voted for these people. Majority Rules. We now have to lie in the bed we made, unitl elections roll around again. if people really want a change they will vote accordingly.

by NullMcVoid Sun May 02, 2004 00:37

"rubbish -- Gardai are supporting & protecting a EU of fake inclusion an openness which is in reality the new capitalist and imperialist movement at this end of the globe. we don't want this EU & the people who support it."

Majority Rules thank god =)

God help us if people listened to morons like you.

by BFitz Sun May 02, 2004 00:37

Fair plate to the Gardaí for not getting drawn into an all-out riot as obviously was the intention of these students/hippies.

Don't worry guys, you'll grow out of it eventually when you leave college(the students, I think the hippies are a lost cause), and start living in the real world.

by trox! Sun May 02, 2004 00:39

yeah ... god & you Irish morons -- a deadly mixture.

I have a good laugh at you right-whing irish indymedia abusers ... lol ... finally some MayDay fun

by An Irish Moron Sun May 02, 2004 00:48

Irish morons?
This comes from the same idiots that claimed the gardai and army organised a bomb hoax to show off what will happen on the 1st of may!!

You are the morons and the whole world will know that thanks to sky news and other press oganisations for showing how you make troble with police forces!!!!!

Well done to the Gardai.

by cabhog Sun May 02, 2004 00:56

hear hear

by minority Sun May 02, 2004 01:08

> We voted for these people. Majority Rules.
> We now have to lie in the bed we made

Apart from the fact that minority rights are an important
part of standard democratic theory, and that majority
decision-making is better replaced
by formal consensus decision-making in many
situations, the fact is that the
EU is mainly run by a tiny elite minority which is
paranoid about keeping its proposals and decisions
as secret as possible, until it's too late to change
them.

No matter who you elect, you cannot change the people
running the European Central Bank (ECB) http://www.ecb.int/pub/legal/escbstatutes_en.pdf
who have fixed jobs for *eight years*, and by law,
the local politicians you elect, once in four years or so,
are not allowed to influence the ECB. And the ECB has
a fixed policy to promote the "open market" and *not* to
promote 100% employment.

And the EU commission, which is more subject to
influence by national politicians than the ECB,
still tries to keep many
of its proposals and actions secret.

The present forms of parliamentary democracy
are a mockery of real political participation.
Direct action groups like the Dublin grassroots network
are much more like what something in the spirit of
democracy ought to be like.

by fdfg Sun May 02, 2004 01:12

the eu is consensus based. very few decisions by the EU were taken by a minority, most decisions are taken by unanimous agreement by the council of miniisters.

by G Sun May 02, 2004 01:28

"No matter who you elect, you cannot change the people
running the European Central Bank (ECB)"

Throwin cans at the cops won't change much either.

by John Sun May 02, 2004 01:28

Does anyone ever ask why 90% of the people who go on these demos are under 20. Why are there so few oldies? Simple, all this aggro is just an adolescent phase they are going through. For most of them, by the time they are 25, they'll have acquired some intelligence and have grown out of it. Then, they'll become solid citizens like the rest of us, with a house, a mortgage, a couple of cars, annual holidays in Florida Disneyland and be working in public relations for some American multi-national company in Sandymount industrial estate. Apart from a few sad cases, that is, who will never mature or acquire any intelligence and will be employable only as a sociology lecturer in UCD. When in Queens University Belfast in the 60s I shared a flat with the leader of the student anarchist movement, Finnegan was his name. He's now a High Court judge in Belfast.

by sean - none Sun May 02, 2004 01:32

tactically naive
tactically naive to try to push through police lines, only one winner there and that was how it turned out, played into justifying police powers /numbers. rest of the day was good.

by LesCOO Sun May 02, 2004 01:48

There is a real danger that the bleating of the non-protestor contributors will drown out the real need for protesting to be welcomed and exercised as a right.

If you step back and look at the bigger picture you will see that the state, our public servants, our politicians, the Guards and the Army are capable of being too controlling.

It is just a year since the Guards went over the top beat up peaceful protestors in Dame St. in Dublin and prompted- a few days later, a larger protest against police brutality. The Gardi response to this was to suggest that it should hold its own internal disciplinary hearings. (Only last week the Garda representatives were complaining that the country’s judges answered to no one and too often criticised the Guards).

It is probable that the 10,000 people who might have taken part in all the various protests today had perhaps 100 different agendas. Some believe that the whole idea of capitalism is wrong. Some are Socialist, or Communists or have a particularly strong religious view. Some may wish to draw attention to the fact that the family courts have ravaged their family lives. Others want us to look again at the middles east or protect Irish neutrality. And yes, somewhere in the middle of all of that there are some angry and violent men who are looking for a fight- but they are too frightened to seek a fight outside the safety of a crowd.

But it would be completely wrong for anyone to confuse democracy with thuggery. 50 unarmed Guards could have handled the thug component of the protestors who marched to the Phoenix Park. The rest were exercising their (and your) democratic right and were not a threat that justified 5000 fully equipped Guards and the use of water cannon. But most people won’t see it that way.

If Indymedia want to show that it is a legitimate unbiased news coverage provider, perhaps it should try to get the definitive story on the Ban Garda that was injured, just a suggestion.

P.S. Putin in Russia is just about to bring in a law which will ban all protesting in populated areas- even religious meetings will be subject to scrutiny. This is post- democracy Russia and it is next door to the EU.

by bought off Sun May 02, 2004 01:49

Sod the 4 billion + people living on under $5/day! Get a mortgage (debt keeps the economy going!), get some property! Grow up and realise that most of the world is simply designed to be our slave so we can have cheap disposable consumer goods. You kids are so idealistic! I bet you all believe in that crazy conspiracy theory about 'global warming' too! huh - anarchists today hey, I tell ya, weren't like that in my day. Now the International Brigades, they were some REAL anarchists. They new how to fight fascism. I remember a story - . . .

by Mad for Tar Sun May 02, 2004 02:03

Why did Sky have the headline during their live coverage as if the trouble was caused by people objecting to the new members to the EU? They completely avoided the fact that it was an anti-globalisation protest. The pictures they showed were very one sided too.

by X Sun May 02, 2004 02:06

"The pictures they showed were very one sided too"
The same can be said for Indymedia!!!!!!!!

by I like boiled eggs Sun May 02, 2004 02:09

We used to feel superior to the Brits since we dont have football violence over here, but this is just as bad. I mean was there any need for what went on tonight? Those involved are a major embarassment to the country.

by . Sun May 02, 2004 02:20

OK, so you have this theory that protest is just an irrational adolescent phase. I can understand why you might think that - it is, after all, a theory that the mainstream media likes to trot out from time to time. But where's your evidence?

You acknowledge that some people do carry on protesting, but you get around this inconvenient fact by labelling them as 'sad', 'unintelligent' etc.

It's quite obvious that some people continue protesting throughout their lives, while others stop doing so. Some, on the other hand, actually start protesting in later years.

I personally know plenty of young, middle-aged and old activists.

The reasons people have for getting involved in protest and activism, or for stopping, are many and varied.

Just because you see these activities as unintelligent, you assume they must be the product of some adolescent stupidity. But you don't give any real evidence for these prejudices.

An equally likely theory is that these are the actions of rational, clear-thinking, caring people who are geniunely doing their best to create a better world.

Faced with such a daunting and huge task, isn't it possible that, in some cases, people will run out of energy trying, and give up instead. I suggest this as perhaps the most likely of many reasons.

If you believe these are the actions of an unthinking, uncaring mob, you should come along to planning meetings etc and observe the reasoned and thoughtful discussions that take place there. You might start to see things differently.

Finally, why are you so angry?

by blogsey Sun May 02, 2004 02:28 blogsey_99 at hotmail dot com thurles, tipperary 087-7695326

It really pains me to say it, but well done to the gardai for such a professional job. These drunken idiots were not real protesters and the gardai showed real restraint and professionalism in dealing with them. I would also like to add how amazing that flag raising ceremony was. I couldn't believe it was been run and organised by Irish people as incompetence is usually our middle name. I don't agree that as you grow older, you lose anti-capitalist feelings, you simply realise that there are far more intelligent ways of getting your message across (like actually getting involved in politics).
What happened tonight was nothing more than a scuffle, a bit of argy bargy and I think that even if they wanted to, these idiots couldn't organise an anti-capitalist riot to save their lives. Genoa and Seattle, tonight was certainly not.

by de spy in the sky Sun May 02, 2004 02:29

What the world saw today,courtesy of the Worlds media was a small group of thugs souring what was otherwise a fantastic display of the right to protest.
It was obvious from the orteeee news coverage that those who caused the disturbances were a small group who seemed to have no connection with those involved in the march. All groups involved in the marches would do well to distance themselves from these individuals,and their actions. The only purpose it served was for the state to tell the public"we told you so", and further curtail the individual and collective right to protest.

The marches carried out in dublin during the fantastic day were for the most part peaceful and well organised(though what is the point of making noise in a park that is supposed to be peaceful?)

by G Sun May 02, 2004 02:31

I was out protesting today. I know there are serious issues which don't usually get a voice in the mainstream media and are worth marching for. However I didn't go on the DGN attempted march to farmleigh because I knew that it would just be faced by a wall of gardai. When the gardai stopped the march goin any further it was obvious that there would be tension and very likely confrontation. This played into the hands of people who want to portray all protestors as thugs. As for the people trying to break through police lines, it's just retarded. What can you expect but a batton to the head? This kind of action just helps them demonize us.

I was very happy after the AEIP march that I would be able to say "see, not a stone thrown!" to all those people who believed the hype. Not so anymore. I know most people on the DGN march were peaceful and only a small group were looking for a fight bit thats all it takes to help people tar us all with the same brush. People will never listen to your message while you are assosciated with thugs.

by 'thug' Sun May 02, 2004 02:42

at this point im trying to establish why i am dignifying your comments on imaginary oppression with a response and i have concluded that you obviously are oblivious to the millions of people who suffer as a result of capitalism and globalisation. These 'thugs' (myself included) stood up in protest on behalf of those aforementioned individuals who haven't and will not benefit from the current system under which the EU is run. These people have no medium to express themselves. No forum where they can say 'hey - this isn't fair'
Thats why there are thousands of people on the streets. Not 'just for kicks'..

oh and water cannons.. they don't really fit in my personal 'fantasy world'.. but hey whatever you're into.....

by buendia Sun May 02, 2004 03:21

oh those bad protestors, they were so bad.

and those good protestors, well, we all support them. Good peaceful honest decent protestors, not those bad foreign ones with funny accents.

Even tho the gards had to crack their skulls.

Job well done.

Crack their skulls to show them they live in a democracy where they are safe to protest.

As long as they don't mind a cracked skull.

Well done lads for your restraint, in cracking those skulls... the hospitalised teenagers will thank you for it in the morning.

And we feel so fulfilled posting our little rants on IM, kinda justifies our whole existence, cheerleading a bunch of whores who don't even notice we are there

:(

by independent Sun May 02, 2004 03:34

ok what happened today was pretty simple.

after weeks of the maintsream media - supposedly the people who tell the truth, the people who tell it how it is -printing apocalyptical article after article about rabid loony protesters who will come armed with weapons and hide in the sewers of phoenix park to jump out and launch lightnening raids...

so, what actualy happened?

Well i'll tell you 'cos i was there...

this supposed rabid mob of terrorists marched from the centre of dublin, out though the town, with a police escort of around 100 officers compared to 2,500 approx on the march itself...

if the goal of the demo was to fight the cops this could have been done easily, if the goal of the demo was to smash stuff up, this could easily have been done as well...

but these were not the goals...

the above posters here on iondymedia ireland who say well done gardai are not quite getting the picture of what happened today...

1) people marched on an ILLEGAL march to put across their views.

2) the march was fluffy as fuck!!

OK Get It?

This was not a riot waiting to happen. It was people excercising their fucking right to demonstrate.

After a couple of hours the march was stopped by police. OK this was expected. But the march was still a legitimate protest.

Some people pushed against the police lines...

HARDLY A FUCKIN RIOT!!

REALLY, GET THIS POINT INTO YOUR HEAD!

And the Gardai did what they said they would, which was immediatly treat the protesters as if they were full on rioters smashing up the city...

THEY DEPLOYED WATER CANNON AND FULL SHIELD RIOT POLICE AGAINST A CROWD WHICH HAD DONE FUCK ALL...

If you want to talk about violence then look in the centre of dublin on a friday or saturday evening... no one can argue about this point.

OK so the whole thing felt like a bit of a scripted confrontation...

I will commend the gardai for not going apeshit and batton charging the whole crowd, and in this respect i see the difficult job they were asked to do...

But come on you folks,,,,

no really COME ON!!

what is wrong with protesting like this today??...

I mean what is wrong with marching down the the
street?

what is wrong with saying you wish to make your point?

to be honest i'm not really even condemning the police here - as said they did not freak out and attack scores of people, but then neither did the protesters...

some balance please...

there were injuries on both sides, i hear reports from people on the streets and corp media that two police officers were injured, I also hear the same that there were around 6 serious head injuries on the side of the protesters.

But it's not a black and white issue...

Again I say to all of the above posters who have praised the police... where is your praise of the protesters...

DUBLIN DID NOT BURN!!

...... BUT IT WAS NOT BECAUSE THE POLICE PREVENTED IT!!!

In closing one of the best things about today was all the chats and discussions had at people's garden fences, walls and gates...

So many people were supportive, so many people had a laugh talking about the media bullshit that's been printed about the protests in the last weeks, a good number of people had seen us march throught their community a few hours ealier and then march back after the water cannon and riot police madness - but they were just as supportive of us on the way back, in fact more so, because they had seen how we had behaved.

Today could have been much much worse...

It's down to the people who worked hard over the last months to keep things together, it's down to the Gardai for not freaking out at an early stage (but please note... I am critical of their rapid deployment and use of water cannon and full riot police in a escalation that took mere seconds) , it's down to all the activists out on the streets today who looked out for one and other and who were there to make a point.

I think the day was as good as it could have ever been.

I'm thankfull that there was not a bloodbath due to cops attacking people.... which the media set up as likely outcome number one...

and i'm grateful for all the smiles, all the wise words and all the solidarity shown today...

on a final note hi to the corporate media photographer who got all his cameras smashed and trashed by the cops while trying to take shots of the police water cannon operation, and to the other corp media camera guy with the suspected broken hand, I agree with you, the cops went in hard and we do have to fight for the right to protest in this country just like many others around the world....

by Chris M Sun May 02, 2004 05:52

well said

but in all honesty with (no disrespect to IM) are the people on here this morning, The Protesters,preaching to themselves or to the masses, does im really penetrate the everyday people who go about their working day , who dont happen to use the net, but have similar views: on "our government" and on how they are misrepresenting our views on every level ; bin taxes The US Military use of Shannon etc.

I think yesterdays "voilent protests" played into the hands of the garda the government and the powers to be - THE MEDIA- in belittling the struggle and voice of democratic ireland and also gave voice to annons and people like cabhog who, just like th govt LOVE to hear their own voice

by good job by the Garda - ???? Sun May 02, 2004 09:29

what can i say all the hype over the last week and started on this site then the media picked up on it . @ least the police service was ready for yeahs

---------indimedia/wombles =0_________
Garda =1---------------------------

by I was there too Sun May 02, 2004 10:41

A bit of gentle pushing against the police...rubbish. I live on the Navan Rd. right where they stopped. It was totally irresponsible causing such trouble where there were children out playing.

One guy in a hood spent the whole time gathering rocks to fling from along the wall by the apartments. Two or three used their flags to beat the police at the front.

In fairness most seemed to be teenagers who had been drinking all day. But planty directed serious violence against the gaurds and I certainly wouldn't have shown the same restraint in dealing with them

by S Sun May 02, 2004 11:14

...it's actually TWO years since the 'Reclaim the Streets' protest where protesters got badly roughed up. The following year's RTS was poorly attended. I know RTS 2002 was your moment of martyred glory but.....move on....

by keith - none Sun May 02, 2004 13:03 de_rouge at hotmail dot com

some people seem to forget that it is ur right as an irish citizen to march. we marched . then the riot police were let lose. then the trouble occured. maybe if the garda protected us (which is there job) and didnt come out in such force and try and stop us from exercising our rights to march. the fit wudnt of hit the shan............. respect to the old couple that brought me in2 there house when i was gettin beaten and let me change my clothes and gave me a clean dry t-shirt.xxx keith.

by david Sun May 02, 2004 13:21

The media spent the last month sayin that protestors were orgainising a riot on the streets. we absolutely were not, but the damage was done. such media covorage is destined to attract people who are looking for a fight. Lots of people hate the cops for various reasons, many of them are very good reasons, and some of these people came out on the march with the clear intention of emulating what they have seen in covorage of bellfast riots. While on the march members of the black bloc had several confrontations with masked individuals who were trying to encourage us to throw rocks at the cops lining the side of the street. these people were in no uncertain terms told where to go. We wanted to make a political protest against the "leaders" of the E.U. others wanted to fight the police. there is a chance that they were members of the police themselves, there is a more likely chance that they were just drunken violent individuals.

People were also drinking too much. some people drank entire bottles of vodka, others were drinking wine. apparently people were throwing up in gardens in between throwing rocks and glass bottles.
We shouldn't have accepted this kind of behavior. it cost people their health and their liberty. there may be a time and a place for drinking heavily, but yesterday certainly was not it

by david Sun May 02, 2004 13:28

must learn how to spell

by sean Sun May 02, 2004 14:17

right to march?????
we spent the entire day marching up and down the length and breadth of our city.
so to say the guards stopped our right to march is a bit ridiculous.

what was even more ridiculous and deeply disturbing was allowing hooded and masked individuals to dictate the agenda...shame on us for allowing this to happen.
at least with our anti-war marches there was some element of stewarding and control.
we often quite rightly spend our time blaming others for the woes of many, many occasionally we should look in the mirror when we are culpable.
glad i got that off my chest...

is mise le mheas

by Grumpy Sun May 02, 2004 14:23

Well now the problem as I see it is that the word democracy is bandied around by professional moaners who ordain themselves the champions of the opressed when they don't understand the word themselves.

Democracy for me means that if I want to walk down a street freely and without hindrance from a gang of scumbags claiming to be defending the opressed I can. And if it takes hundreds of police to beat these whining, moaning little shits off roads *I* and other tax payers pay for, then brilliant. That's what we pay the police for too.

Democracy is something that applies for the majority, not for a small minority of allegedly enlightened people. Just because some protesters think their cause is more just, doesn't mean they are more right and certainly doesn't make their claim to or definition of democracy any greater.

I'm the first to admit that capitalism is a bastard regime perpetuated by greedy bastards, but having lived in a socialist country (East Germany) it is 100% clear to me that capitalism is the ONLY way. As flawed as it is, it works. Socialism or any other flavour of leftism simply does not work. Apart from that, instead of creating a society of equals, it simply mirrors capitalism in that there will always be an elite who run things (party committees ring any bells). The only difference is that the ruling elite in socialist regimes hide behind the sanctimonious veil of equality. People will always want more than their neighbours. That's human nature, we strive to do better, better than what we've done to date and better than others. Socialism can't reward that and you end up with disillusionment, repression, suicide, crime and lots of the other maladies that capitalism is accused of. The only reason crime in East Germany and communist Russia was so low was because they had fiercely repressive security forces and a culture of informing on friends and family.

So really, you're protesting in favour of something that is every bit as bad as capitalism. Cuddly socialism is all fine and well in theory, hell if it worked *I'D* consider it... but history has shown many times that it doesn't. Maybe it's time these anti-capitalists found themselves a real goal... something that doesn't just sound good on paper or after a couple of ounces of finest lebanese.

And before you start harping on about democracy, get a dictionary... democracy also means that I have a right to go about my business without having to avoid the warzone some of you idiots seem so intent on creating. There aren't two levels of democracy... you don't get platimum membership for supporting "worthwhile" causes. It's one standard class of membership and it applies to the majority. This is MY city... and as buggered up as it is with incompetent government, crime and corruption I like it and don't want gangs of spoiled kiddies with their heads in the clouds smashing it up.

And another thing, if these protesters are so sure that they occupy the moral highground, why are they so afraid to show their faces and been seen supporting their cause? Surely a mask means you're either ashamed of your cause or aren't prepared to take the consequences for your beliefs?

For those of you who weren't causing trouble, fair play... I don't agree with your beliefs but that's just my opinion. But for those of you who caused trouble and especially those of you who came from overseas to spoil Dublin, piss off and keep away from Dublin. We live here, you don't! We don't like you, don't want you and certainly won't complain when the police get you in the back of a van!

by francois Sun May 02, 2004 15:04

As someone who attened the demo, i was disappointed that 25 heads managed to spoil what was a peacful protest-the obvious aggression of the garda ( cheap intimdatory tactics like taking photos and videos) was off set by a good humoured march.
Sadly this march will be remembered not for the thousands peacfully protesting but a few heads looking for aggro, well done, you have ruined the message we tried to put forward

by kino Mon May 03, 2004 07:39

(response to "John" above )
http://www.indymedia.ie/newswire.php?story_id=64755#comment72155

Hi John, I have often asked myself that.

Why is it that so many people lose their ideals (acquire intelligence)?
Why is it that so many people so easily forget what it is that made them want to change something about the world (purchase "things" on credit and get stuck in the grip of the banks)?
Why is it that so many people turn their backs on the suffering they see on TV newscasts every day (preferring to go on holiday to somewhere makebelieve like Disneyland)?

Actually, I think a lot of the reason if that they have sex, get pregnant and have babies and then find they don't have much time to do much else but look after them. At least in the "1st world".

Not so in (if you permit me the use of the term) the Global South. there you will find many mature individuals committed to social struggle. Why?, maybe because those people just don't have the opportunities to do what you describe.
And these are a lot of people, most of us (humans) in fact.

What this is all about, demos and all, in the context of the globalising world, is to help people not to forget, not to turn their face away from suffering, not to choose the (apparently) easier path of happiness gained through consumerism. Not to feel isolated for caring about somebody other than themselves. There's a lot of work to do, but nearly every day I meet somebody new who didn't "grow out" of it, but rather grew to understand the deep significance of their struggle.

Granted, all kids go through a reactionary phase, but I believe you are wrong to put a reaction to seeing suffering down to adolesence. Each time somebody doesn't fall into the traps you mention, we get a little closer to a little less suffering. Each day we get a little closer to perhaps avoiding the impending doom that "growth" and consumerism is leading us to.


BTW, have a look a Oliver Stone's new film "commandante"

all the best.

by ex irishman Mon May 03, 2004 14:26

i left ireland 22 years ago cause it was a thirld world country and blighted by poverty, bigotory and racism
i see it hasnt changed ,well from what i read above alot of irish are still ignorant and live in their own world which dosnt see outside of their street/city.

as for the comment by 'I like boiled eggs' Street Violence
We used to feel superior to the Brits since we dont have football violence over here, but this is just as bad.
so when a mob burnt down the brit embassy (good job) and people get the shit beaten out of them at GAA games regularly what a load of toss
and all the other comments about the guardi being so good... wait untill you come out of a pub slightly pissed and get smashed over the head with a trunchion it happens all the time , some cultchie in a uniform who dosnt know one end of a pigs arse from another
i used to think the guardi were better than other police forces but now they are just as bad as any other olny interested in there own paypackets.
EC BETTER FOR IRELAND what a joke rent rises, highest cost of living in europe, one of the lowest paid workers in western europe
Well to sum it all up it makes me sad to see Ireland is still the state of bigotory and facism that it always was but im glad to see some resistance to the shit the politicans and corperate fucks/church that have always ruled the country
and now that so many poorer countries have joined the EU Ireland wont get all that subsidy that made the celtic tiger (which is stuffed and mounted on Haughy's wall anyhow)
so all of you right wing (Thacherite im all right jack) yuppies who think the guardi are so nice will lose your jobs and probably your houses as you wont be able to pay the huge morgages see how it feels in a few years time
you stupid fucks most of those people were out protesting your rights as well

by Boba Fett Tue May 04, 2004 12:05

from a totally neutral point of view, I found it hilarious to see the pictures on telly and photos in the papers of the people involved in the violence. Half of them seemed to be junkies or the local scumbag element who were just out to take a bit of aggression out on the cops. quite a few looked geared out of their minds too, they were having a ball. it seems to be no matter what public event is going on in dublin, a prominent sector of the people present will be junkies because they make up such a large part of dublin demographic structure. sad but true. i say organise a massive anti junkie march , and make it like the 80's allover again.

by DONNY - none (student) Tue May 04, 2004 21:49 donalk25 at yahoo dot co dot uk 0851459175

the official protest stopped about 200 yards down from where the riot took place. the organiser told everyone to sit down. they sat for about 20 mins during which about 300 gardai blocked the road outside the half way house. they had no helmets and were simply there to create a non threatening human barrier.

At about 8:15 protesters started walking towards the gardai and met with them and started pushing. it was not sereous until a 'black block' of dicks faces covered in black entered into the scuffles and cans, stones, and flag sticks were thrown. i then videod a ban garda getting hit on the head with a bottle and at that point the riot police took over along with the water cannons. it was well delt with by the gards who had to take abuse from people who on the whole didn't even know what they were protesting about.

sorry about the grammer

by the_syco Wed May 05, 2004 04:29

"rubbish -- Gardai are supporting & protecting a EU of fake inclusion an openness which is in reality the new capitalist and imperialist movement at this end of the globe. we don't want this EU & the people who support it."
Capitalist, eh? So are you on the dole? Or do you work? Because if you work, you are working for the capitalists. Many of the students quit being socialists @ the age of about 22 when they finish their degree, and have to work. They then cop on to the fact that you must work to earn a living.
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"P.S. Putin in Russia is just about to bring in a law which will ban all protesting in populated areas- even religious meetings will be subject to scrutiny. This is post- democracy Russia and it is next door to the EU."
Democractic? Are you f**king with me? The ex-KGB Putin goes for president, and wins in a rather fixed election. Democractic? I don't think so.
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"Sod the 4 billion + people living on under $5/day!"
One question; how much is the food over there? A few places, vodka is cheaper then water, and how much rice can the $5 buy? In Ireland, $5 won't go far, but in China it'd go a bit further. I think $5 is 40 Yuans, according to the current exchange rates. I say that'd buy a few things, with items being cheaper there than in a "western country".
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"If you believe these are the actions of an unthinking, uncaring mob, you should come along to planning meetings etc and observe the reasoned and thoughtful discussions that take place there. You might start to see things differently."
I couldn't help reading the article in the Irish Indepentent about one of the journalists getting their journal ripped up, purely because they were a journalist.
Also, where are these meetings held, and can I be assured that I won't get the cr*p beaten out of me when I question everything about your organisation? I ask, because I'm not a sheep, and I won't believe what you say just because you tell me.
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"Not so anymore. I know most people on the DGN march were peaceful and only a small group were looking for a fight bit thats all it takes to help people tar us all with the same brush."
Agreed. If you read up (as I had) on the intelligence my the various intel agaencies, you'll notice that they warned of a few "international protestors" going over "for the purpose of causing a confrotation". I heard from Sky News that the march was going very peaceful, untill someone got the crowd to march against the gardai. These few "international protestors" ruined it for all of youse. I'm a pro-war, pro-capitalism, but I think that without a "no" voice, the world would be bland. I'm sorry that the few thugs ruined a perfectly good march.
If it were not for those few, the grassroots, and the rest of the tree-huggers could have gave the gardai the finger for their "hype", but thir "hype" was proven true.
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"These people have no medium to express themselves."
I wonder how many of "these people" have actually sat down, and had a civilized talk with their local polotician?
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"It's down to the people who worked hard over the last months to keep things together"
ANd if it weren't for a few thugs, you would have won.
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"several confrontations with masked individuals who were trying to encourage us to throw rocks at the cops lining the side of the street"
Ah, yes. The "international protestors" I mentioned above. The ones who soley wreaked what chance the peaceful protestors had of doing a non-violent protest.
The ones who have no given the blank-cheque / blank-check to go over-the-top for the Bush visit.
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"ex irishman"
Yer lucky you got out while you could. Don't come back. Its gone to hell. The nanny-state doesn't like us drinking, smoking, or anything else fun. And they spend 4 times the price of sending a man to mars, on a tram-line to Tallaght.
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My view was that the protestors fot off lightly. If it happened ANYWHERE else, rubber bullets, bean-bags, etc would have been used.
As for the guys in all black, they have single-handedly given the goverment the right to use any means nessacary anyone, during the Bush visit.

by mickey Thu May 06, 2004 19:00

i would like to pass on my congratulations to the gardai about the manner in which they conducted themselves over the past weekend. i think it would be funny to ask those drunks from mayday, what were they protesting about. everybody is responsible for their own actions. they got there cummuffins and maybe deserved more.
i dont think the irish protestors could organise a piss up in a brewrey.

"rubbish"
"rubbish"
the word frustration springs to mind.

by Me - Mine Thu May 13, 2004 14:11

nice to see an indy media site that edits comments pages and takes out comments they deem not appropriate, no doubt this will be removed in time but i will add it again and again you tossers. i left a comment on this page in regards to the pigs and their tactics but it must have been deemed incorrect or somehow not right for yee, well fuck ye, yee musli chewing hippie wankers, fuck the law and roll on next time the wankers try oppress us, but then i guess you twats will be to busy telling all to keep calm and not to rise to the bait, FUCKOFF TWATS! the laws an ass and needs to be shown as such.