For Workers' Unity and Socialism
The Latest

Jobstown Trials – an attack on the right to protest

byArchive
October 20, 2016
2 minute read
Total
0
Shares
0
0
0

protest-jobstown-protesters-water-charges-3-752x501By Greg Lilley

Monday 19th September saw the start of the Jobstown show trials. In the Children’s Court in Dublin, a 17-year-old was put in the dock facing the charge of false imprisonment. The accuser – former Deputy Prime Minister Joan Burton – arrived to give evidence to the delight of the media.

In November 2014, Burton became the focal point of a sit-down protest in Jobstown, a working class area of Dublin, as she visited a graduation ceremony. The event happened just beside a food bank. Around the corner, a homeless couple had been forced to live in their car for two weeks. This is a community ravaged by austerity and betrayed by Joan Burton’s Labour Party.

In February 2015, a series of dawn raids were orchestrated by the Gardaí which saw selected Jobstown protesters removed from their homes for questioning and subsequently charged with false imprisonment and other offences – because Burton was stuck in her luxury car, guarded by police for two hours. Among those charged are three Anti-Austerity Alliance (AAA) representatives and Socialist Party activists – Paul Murphy TD and councillors Mick Murphy and Kieran Mahon.

Government forced to suspend water charges

This is a politically motivated trial. A government that has had to suspend water charges due to a campaign of mass demonstrations and, crucially, mass non-payment – which the AAA has been instrumental in building – was under pressure to show it hadn’t lost control. The Jobstown arrests and charges are an attempt to bully people out of engaging in peaceful, democratic protests.

However, there are no signs of a let up in the desire for justice. On September 17th, Dublin was once again filled with protesters outside the Children’s Court. At Irish Embassies around the globe, protesters gathered to highlight what was going on. Political policing will not deter the voice of protest. “An injury to one is an injury to all.” Everyone should actively demand that the charges be dropped and continue to demonstrate that we will not be silenced by the sinister tactics of those in power.

Total
0
Shares
Share 0
Tweet 0
Pin it 0
Author
Archive
Previous Article

Education Under Attack: Organise to fight for our future!

byArchive
Next Article

South: Jobstown protester found guilty – “A recipe for totalitarianism”

byArchive
Related Posts
Read More

Trans Pride challenges rigid gender roles

The first Trans Pride in Belfast was held on Saturday 2nd June, reflecting the need for transgender, non-binary and intersex (“trans+”) rights. While the spectrum of sexuality is for the most part something that is becoming more accepted and understood, gender is a whole other story. Awareness and advancement of the struggles of trans+ people is something that is growing, but ultimately this progress can only go so far, as the system in which it is taking place is not truly compatible with what is really needed.
bySocialist Party
Read More

Covid crisis exposes rotten capitalist system: A 10-point socialist response

Forty-five million people have been infected by Covid-19 globally, with over one million tragically losing their lives. The UK has now surpassed 1.37 million cases, with around 52,000 deaths.  In Northern Ireland, we have reached 46,359 cases and 846 deaths. While there are promising signs that effective vaccines may be available in the near future, there is evidence that new strains of the virus are rapidly emerging. There are also serious questions about how rapidly, efficiently and equally vaccination programmes will be rolled out.

bySocialist Party