Is This Justice in Ireland?
Picket outside the Embassy of Ireland, 17 Grosvenor Place, London SW1X 7HR
Wednesday 15th september 11am – 2pm.
At the end of April, during the lead up to the welcoming celebrations for the accession of ten new member states to the EU, 3 protesters were arrested on the road outside an occupied building in property-market ravaged Dublin. The House that had been occupied had been singled out by a group of activists from Dublin because it had been unoccupied and been left to rot over a period of years. This initiative was part of a long running political response to the housing crisis, one all too familiar to residents of London, and many other major European cities where property is a significant investment industry. To protect this artificially inflated market the homeless are mercilessly harassed, so they remain furtive and isolated, lest the sight of all those empty properties wake the collective conscience of those in authority from it’s economically induced coma. However this was only one of many protests at this time and people from all over Europe were gathering to make their objection to the terms of inclusion of the ten new member states with regard to workers rights and the potential effects of an unjust two tier system of rights and entitlements for all in employment, in all member states. The time it appears was ripe for some politically motivated arrests.
The 3 people arrested were all in this case from England. Two men one aged 18 the other 38, and a twenty year old woman, who were experiencing the atmosphere of propaganda-induced hysteria ( paricularly the Daily Mirror ) that existed prior to the EU delegate’s big beano in Phoenix Park. Needless to say no significant arrests for violence were made during the subsequent demonstrations which were played out with all the inevitability of street theatre.
The three arrested spent eight days in prison, while the outrageous bail terms were disputed. They had been given only a few minutes with a court appointed ex-policeman solicitor prior to initially appearing in court, due to the timing of their arrests. This ensured that they were denied earlier access to legal advice despite repeated requests. Twelve hours is customary for those arrested at night so they can rest before the police need question them, plus twelve hours that they can be held before the police are required to question them. Questioning was an insignificant formality in this case. They were then charged with section 13 of the trespass act, which customarily attracts merely a caution. After meeting an extortionate bail agreement they were released on the proviso the older man and the twenty year old woman remain in Dublin awaiting trial. The man will appear in court on the 20th September, the woman will not go on trial until November.
During the long months they have faced the numerous problems that being stranded in a foreign city engenders. Problems of housing, employment, and medical care, that have only highlighted the issues they were originally prepared to protest against. Others in Dublin have also understandably been cautious in helping them as, in the case of the woman when first arrested the police subsequently raided the home of the person she had been staying with in Ireland, and seized her rucksack and many of his books and personal correspondence, all of which were later returned.
Why Should I Care?
……………………….
Because the political powers in all the countries of the EU are influenced more by the demands of the Multinationals than their electorate. That it is expedient for them to demonstrate to the Multinationals their determination to stifle political debate, both in the media and on the streets, so as to make themselves attractive to inward investment by these exploitative corporations. That through the movement of cheap labour and inexpensive and well educated professionals from poorer counties while undermining their rights, the corporations will enjoy a level playing field throughout, while the political elites bask in their favour.
Picket outside the Embassy of Ireland, 17 Grosvenor Place, London SW1X 7HR
Wednesday 15th september 11am – 2pm.
At the end of April, during the lead up to the welcoming celebrations for the accession of ten new member states to the EU, 3 protesters were arrested on the road outside an occupied building in property-market ravaged Dublin. The House that had been occupied had been singled out by a group of activists from Dublin because it had been unoccupied and been left to rot over a period of years. This initiative was part of a long running political response to the housing crisis, one all too familiar to residents of London, and many other major European cities where property is a significant investment industry. To protect this artificially inflated market the homeless are mercilessly harassed, so they remain furtive and isolated, lest the sight of all those empty properties wake the collective conscience of those in authority from it’s economically induced coma. However this was only one of many protests at this time and people from all over Europe were gathering to make their objection to the terms of inclusion of the ten new member states with regard to workers rights and the potential effects of an unjust two tier system of rights and entitlements for all in employment, in all member states. The time it appears was ripe for some politically motivated arrests.
The 3 people arrested were all in this case from England. Two men one aged 18 the other 38, and a twenty year old woman, who were experiencing the atmosphere of propaganda-induced hysteria ( paricularly the Daily Mirror ) that existed prior to the EU delegate’s big beano in Phoenix Park. Needless to say no significant arrests for violence were made during the subsequent demonstrations which were played out with all the inevitability of street theatre.
The three arrested spent eight days in prison, while the outrageous bail terms were disputed. They had been given only a few minutes with a court appointed ex-policeman solicitor prior to initially appearing in court, due to the timing of their arrests. This ensured that they were denied earlier access to legal advice despite repeated requests. Twelve hours is customary for those arrested at night so they can rest before the police need question them, plus twelve hours that they can be held before the police are required to question them. Questioning was an insignificant formality in this case. They were then charged with section 13 of the trespass act, which customarily attracts merely a caution. After meeting an extortionate bail agreement they were released on the proviso the older man and the twenty year old woman remain in Dublin awaiting trial. The man will appear in court on the 20th September, the woman will not go on trial until November.
During the long months they have faced the numerous problems that being stranded in a foreign city engenders. Problems of housing, employment, and medical care, that have only highlighted the issues they were originally prepared to protest against. Others in Dublin have also understandably been cautious in helping them as, in the case of the woman when first arrested the police subsequently raided the home of the person she had been staying with in Ireland, and seized her rucksack and many of his books and personal correspondence, all of which were later returned.
Why Should I Care?
……………………….
Because the political powers in all the countries of the EU are influenced more by the demands of the Multinationals than their electorate. That it is expedient for them to demonstrate to the Multinationals their determination to stifle political debate, both in the media and on the streets, so as to make themselves attractive to inward investment by these exploitative corporations. That through the movement of cheap labour and inexpensive and well educated professionals from poorer counties while undermining their rights, the corporations will enjoy a level playing field throughout, while the political elites bask in their favour.
Comments
Hide the following 4 comments
Housing in Dublin
12.09.2004 15:04
"Lest anybody should question the link between house builders and Fianna Fail, the names of Burke, Lawlor and Reilly are clear examples of the corruption involved. Ray Burke received over £1 million from a single builder alone. Liam Lawlor, acting as an extremely well paid agent for various builders, distributed massive amounts of cash to corrupt politicians and council officials in return for the re-zoning of designated tracts of land owned by his paymasters. Paddy Reilly, a former election agent of Bertie Ahern, was involved in the cheap purchase of a large number of premises in central Dublin and renovated them using cheap casual labour in an attempt to avoid paying their 'stamps', that is, tax evasion to you and me." -
Nicky Kehoe accused the Corporation of ``working hand in hand with the developers to maintain housing demand and house prices, beyond the reach of the mass of the people in Dublin. We need radical solutions now. If the developers won't build, then the Corporation has to intervene,'' he said. AN Phoblacht Republican News. 2001 May
Since 1997, house prices in Ireland have risen by over 170 per cent, faster than in Australia, Britain or the United States.
Stuart Clark - Sunday Business Post
“Affordable housing should be a constitutional right,” he said. “This Government believes in rewarding developers and controlling its own vested interests.
Gerry Adams (!) on Housing crisis june 2004
"the worsening housing crisis in the 26 counties is a direct result of years of corruption by leading Fianna Fail politicians and major construction firms." Aodan Perry, Fourthwrite.
So fingers in pies and draconian measures against the poor, the homeless, and dissent.
Homes for People Not Profit.
Property Developers - Fuck off and Die.
john
Mayday Court Appearances - the Security Cut
16.09.2004 07:23
I was there to witness what might happen to the four may day 2004 defendants that were up in front of the judge today,.
pc
Nice - Follow the link
16.09.2004 21:52
( and I don't just mean the courts ) - this is a problem that is replicated all over EU contries at the moment when we should have more solidarity and better communication channels. Protestors are being fitted up all over the place - don't get sidelined into the good protestor / bad protestor bulshit which is what the state trolls want.
mark
brits out
19.09.2004 23:13
alexander cockup
e-mail:
alex_cockup@bbc.com