Workers Solidarity Movement

Taking advantage of the fact that a lot of local water charge groups were not seriously mobilsing for the April 18th march we called a last minute Anarchist Bloc to encourage people to attend via our Dublin radical events from WSM group (https://www.facebook.com/groups/radical.dublin)

As expected this demonstration, which was organised by the Non-Payment Network (Socialist Party's 'We Won't Pay' and some independent water charges groups), was much smaller than the previous broader demonstrations but in that context the 5-8,000 who did march was a strong turnout if only 10% of the attendence of the last big demonstration of March 21st.

The real test will of course be the mass boycott of the bills, online polls have showed 90% and higher intended boycott figures but even thought those must be over estimates its very clear the government will not get the inital 60% payment it needs.

Finally its very significant that on the first working day after the demonstration the Garda have arrested 15 water charge protesters in Crumlin. They have generally avoided arrests before protests in case that resulted in people mobilising in greater numbers.

It's also possible that in this case the government miscalualted the reduced attendence as signifying a reduction in the level of participation in the movement rather than the fact the protest was organised by only one of the many elements comprising the struggle against the water charge.

WORDS: Andrew Flood (Follow Andrew on Twitter )