Protesters attempt to storm Irish Parliament.

[IrishWorker]

Protest at Dáil over bank bail out
Tuesday, 11 May 2010 22:36
A number of people were injured tonight at the Dáil after a disturbance broke out at the gates of Leinster House.

Gardaí say a group of 500 people were protesting when about 100 of them broke away and tried to force their way into the gates of the Dáil.

Gardaí on duty at the Dáil forced them back.

Advertisement
Some gardaí drew their batons and a number of protestors were injured.

The group is believed to have been protesting against the Government plans to inject billions of euros into the country's banks.

Gardaí have said one officer received a minor facial injury during the scuffle.

The march was organised by the Right to Work Campaign, sponsored by the Unite Trade Union.

The demonstration began at the Garden of Remembrance.

As the scuffle broke out organisers appealed for calm, Up to 12 gardaí stood at the large iron gates at the front of Leinster House.

Several speakers hit out at the Government's handling of the economic crisis.
http://www.irishrepublican.net/forum/showthread.php?51382-Protestors-Storm-Irish-Parliament&p=662906#post662906

[IrishWorker]

The media is reporting 500 turned up but it was more like 2000.

[GPDP]

Interesting turn of events. Has there been a lot of unrest in Ireland recently due to the economic situation? I don't follow Ireland that often.

Also, interesting that the campaign is called Right to Work, considering here in the states the policies bearing that name are intensely anti-union, in an Orwellian twist. Between that and the wide usage of the Republican label in Ireland, I'm of the opinion Irish politics are more than a little confusing to American observers. :D

[Delenda Carthago]

The media is reporting 500 turned up but it was more like 20,000.

:blink:

dude,your media sucks more than ours!In ours,20.000 would be reported as 15.000 or even 10.000

500?Only with anarrchists,when we would be 3-4.000 they would report 100.

[IrishWorker]

:blink:

dude,your media sucks more than ours!In ours,20.000 would be reported as 15.000 or even 10.000

500?Only with anarrchists,when we would be 3-4.000 they would report 100.

There was plenty of Greece flags flying at the demo looked the part.

[1968]

The media is reporting 500 turned up but it was more like 20,000.

There was max 2,000 people.

-

Pictures and video footage:

http://www.indymedia.ie/article/96602

http://www.indymedia.ie/article/96601

http://www.tv3.ie/article.php?article_id=37423&locID=1.2.&pagename=news

[IrishWorker]

There was max 2,000 people.

-

Pictures and video footage:

http://www.indymedia.ie/article/96602

http://www.indymedia.ie/article/96601

http://www.tv3.ie/article.php?article_id=37423&locID=1.2.&pagename=news

I seen that mistake all right.

Wishful thinking?

[howblackisyourflag]

It was reported by the anarchist as 1000, by SWP as 2000.

Some pictures:

http://www.indymedia.ie/attachments/may2010/dail1.jpeg

http://www.indymedia.ie/cache/imagecache/local/attachments/may2010/460_0___30_0_0_0_0_0_dail2.jpg

http://www.indymedia.ie/cache/imagecache/local/attachments/may2010/460_0___30_0_0_0_0_0_dail3.jpg

There was also a great video on TV3 of the protesters trying to break into the parliament building area. Some protesters were hid over the head with batons and were covered in blood.

Hopefully this is the start of the fightback, there have been plenty of protests in the past but the real anger could finally be boiling over.

Anarchists have more info and pictures here:http://www.wsm.ie/c/scuffles-dail-bank-bailouts

[1968]

32CSM Dublin report:

http://dublin32countysm.blogspot.com/2010/05/bank-bailout-protest.html

[Qayin]

The insurrection is coming.

[howblackisyourflag]

Hopefully Revleft will need a new section soon: "The situation in Ireland".

[Saorsa]

Hopefully :)

[Hoggy_RS]

Great stuff, there are plans for this to go on every tuesday evening from now on. I hope i'm able to make it up to one in a couple of weeks.

[1968]

More pictures and video footage:

http://www.wsm.ie/c/scuffles-dail-bank-bailouts

[howblackisyourflag]

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/images/2010/0512/253952_1.jpg?ts=1273671734

I bet that stupid looking fucker will be ready to bash heads at the next protest outside anglo Irish Bank Saturday 2pm

Eirigi Statement:

éirígí chairperson Brian Leeson has called for people to gather at Anglo-Irish
Bank on Saturday [May 15] in response to last night’s [Tuesday] attack on
demonstrators at Leinster House by Gardaí.

To mark the 94th anniversary of James Connolly’s execution, éirígí has organised
the demonstration against the bank bail-out and anti-social cuts outside
Anglo-Irish Bank’s headquarters at Stephen’s Green, Dublin. Three weeks ago, a
number of éirígí activists occupied the bank in protest at the Dublin
government’s bail-out of the business class.

Leeson said: “Last night’s attack on peaceful protestors outside Leinster House
highlights, yet again, the attitude of the Twenty-Six County establishment
towards those who are not fortunate enough to be a member of the golden circle.

“People have a right to protest and they have a right to engage in acts of civil
disobedience given the nature of the crisis we are facing.”

Leeson continued: “The time for polite discussion about the economic crisis
Ireland is facing is well and truly over. While bankers, developers and a
whole coterie of business people have been protected by Leinster House
politicians, working people have paid the price. This is not a sustainable
situation.

“On Saturday, we can send a message to the business class and their servants in
Leinster House that they can no longer get away with their acts of theft
without facing the direct action of an angry and united people.”

[Jolly Red Giant]

It is nonsesne to suggest, as the title does, that protestors attempted to storm the Irish parliament - there was a minor skirmish between a small number of protestors and a handful of cops. And if they had actually succeeded in getting into the place they would have found it empty except for a couple of drunk politicians in the bar.

Enormous pressure should now be put on the leaders of the trade unions that have recommended rejection of the latest paycut deal to organise a 24 hour strike and mass demonstration against the cuts and the bank bail-out.

[cyu]

Excerpts from http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2010/0511/breaking80.html

Some 800 people attended the first public rally of a new “Right to Work” campaign which is backed by the Unite trade union and involves a coalition of community groups, young unemployed and other activists.

The Government would be remembered in history for ignoring the basic needs of the people and making people homeless and jobless, Janette Byrne of Patient’s Together told the assembled crowd at Parnell Square.

Mr Boyd-Barrett said it was unjust to put billions into bailing out the people and institutions which caused the crisis while imposing cuts on those who had no responsibility.

He described Government policy as as “the economics of the madhouse”.

[Jolly Red Giant]

a new “Right to Work” campaign.
SWP front organisation - The General Secretary of UNITE is a member of the SWP.

[howblackisyourflag]

Are all these SWP fronts good or bad?

They same at least to be getting attention, but they seem at times more interested in getting themselves in power than actually changing things.

[The Vegan Marxist]

Are all these SWP fronts good or bad?

They same at least to be getting attention, but they seem at times more interested in getting themselves in power than actually changing things.

Can they really change things in Ireland if they're not in power? I mean, yeah, they could protest to get some reforms passed, but Ireland is in need of a systematic change, not just a few reforms to "fix" the system. So I think they do want to change things around, but they've realized that, for that to happen, they need to gain the overall power of the Irish government.

[BOZG]

SWP front organisation - The General Secretary of UNITE is a member of the SWP.

He's not anymore.

[Jolly Red Giant]

He's not anymore.
Are you sure? - it wouldn't be the first time the SWP denied a member in order to avoid political criticism.

[BOZG]

Are you sure? - it wouldn't be the first time the SWP denied a member in order to avoid political criticism.

Maybe he secretively still is but they definitely don't claim he's a member publically anymore. I know that during the Belfast Airport workers dispute, their members in the North offered only a "No comment" position so they were either hiding it or they weren't even sure whether he was a member or not.

I think there were some disagreements between them regarding his position though they're obviously still very close.