Socialist Member of Parliament Arrested - Ireland

[Jolly Red Giant]

Socialist TD (member of parliament) Paul Murphy was arrested on a charge of 'false imprisonment' of Deputy Prime Minister Joan Burton when her car was blockaded during an anti-water charges protest in Tallaght, Dublin last November.

Paul Murphy along with two Anti-Austerity Alliance councillors, Kieran Mahon and Mick Murphy and a member of republican group Eirigi, were arrested at 7am on Monday morning and held for questioning for periods of up to 10 hours.

Further arrests have followed on each subsequent morning with a total of 17 participants in the protests now arrested so far. The Gardai (Irish police) have stated that they intend to arrest up to 40 people in connection with the protest.

On Tuesday morning ten policemen in three squad cars arrived at 7am to a house in Tallaght to arrest a 16-year old youth activist and on Wednesday a further eight policemen arrested a 14-year old youth. Another 14 year old was arrested this morning.

There has been widespread condemnation of the arrests across wide sections of the working class from what is regarded as political policing and an attempt to undermine the growing campaign to boycott new water charges - the first bills are due to drop at the beginning of April.

http://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/letters/arrest-of-paul-murphy-1.2098672

The Irish Parliament erupted in uproar this morning when Socialist TD Ruth Coppinger, criticised the Irish Deputy Prime Minister 'call out the dogs' in relation to the arrests.

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Paul Murphy and Ruth Coppinger are both members of the Committee For a Workers International (CWI)

Longer video of the entire exchange in parliament.

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[Jolly Red Giant]

More developments today.

After arresting 23 people (including a 13, 14 and 15 year old) during the past week over the anti-water charges protest in Jobstown - five anti-water charges protestors were jailed for 1-2months for contempt of court for breaking a High Court order not to protest against the installation of water meters in Edenmore on he Northside of Dublin. More than 500 people demonstrated outside Mountjoy Prison this evening where the protestors are beng held. Solidarity protests were held in a number of locations around the country. A major protest against political policing and the jailing of protestors will be held in Dublin on Saturday.

Over the past week dozens of people have joined the Anti-Austerity Alliance - a meeting in Limerick on Tuesday night, addressed by Paul Murphy, was attended by well over 200 people with many signing up as members of the AAA after the meeting.

[Jolly Red Giant]

The water charges protests and the arrest and jailing of protestors have been the main news on national media for the past number of days. Representatives of the Anti-Austerity Alliance have been prominent in all major TV channels.

On Thursday -
Paul Murphy TD was interviewed on the main evening news programme on the national broadcaster RTE
Ruth Coppinger TD then took part in a debate with a government senator on the main prime time current affairs programme
Michael O'Brien (Dublin City Councillor) was on the panel for the main political debate programme on TV3

On Friday night Paul Murphy was a guest on the main weekend talk show on RTE.

Other AAA representatives have been repeatedly interviewed on national and local radio programmes as the campaign continues to dominate the national media.

In all cases the AAA representatives continued to hammer home condemnation of the arrest and jailing of anti-water charges protestors, called for support for a major demonstration tomorrow and campaigned for organised mass non-payment of the charges.

(At the same time the Irish Prime Minister had an interview on RTE about his party's conference this weekend and came across as a nervous wreck).

I will post videos when they become available.

[Jolly Red Giant]

A short edited piece of Paul Murphy interview on the Late Late Show

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A short clip from a longer Paul Murphy interview on Six-One News

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