Patients Together March

by Joe Mon Nov 15, 2004 17:17

An unusual feature of this march was that the organisers were not only asking people not to bring political banners but also asked people not to distribute litreature until it was over. Apparently this was due in part to the SWP and Labour Parties swamping the last march with placards and banners.

Forming up

O'Connell st

Speaker at end

by Impatient and Not All Together Mon Nov 15, 2004 17:29

"An unusual feature of this march was that the organisers were not only asking people not to bring political banners but also asked people not to distribute litreature until it was over. Apparently this was due in part to the SWP and Labour Parties swamping the last march with placards and banners."

They aggressively attempted to stop people from distributing literature at the end. One steward stated that the march was non-political. This after the march had been addressed by the 'non-politcial' Lord Mayor (Labour Party Councillor Michael Connaghan) outside the 'non-political' Dail.
Quel bizarre.

by Justin Moran Mon Nov 15, 2004 18:08

On a point of clarification Connaghan did not speak but stood ostentatiously with gold chain around his neck as Labour Mayor next to the speakers while a former FG local election candidate chaired proceedings. I've seen less party politics at Marxism :)

Having been asked not to bring banners and placards activists abided by it but were then harassed, there is no other word for it, regarding handing out leaflets. Even activists who agreed not to hand them out and then attended the march to show support were hassled for carrying leaflets, even though they had neither intention nor inclination to hand them out.

Considering that if one accepts the theory that 250 people were on the march, numbers would have dropped under 200 if the members of political parties or organisations didn't attend.

It has always been my understanding that requests not to carry party banners and placards are generally honoured but that leaflets and papers can be distributed. And I do genuinely understand the desire of some of the people on the march to be non-party political, and even support it, but the reaction was over the top and in one specific instance bordered on the hysterical.

by pc Mon Nov 15, 2004 20:18

I was wondering what the aims of this or any group would be to improve the hospitals... Bertie keeps quoting millions having been spent on the health system, some sort of high percentage more then previous governments... but its still not enough?