Workers Solidarity Movement

This video shows some of the violent eviction of a house on Phibsboro Avenue in Dublin during which the inhabitants were pepper sprayed and arrested on a ridiculous burglary charge. They had been living in the house two months and were of course later released without charge.

What happened is all the more outrageous because as you will see in the video the Garda had arrived the previous night (July 16) en masse only to back off when the law was explained to them on camera in front of a large number of people. They then returned 18 hours later when no cameras were presented, smashed the front door in, pepper sprayed the resident and arrested them. They then threatened the first person on the scene with a camera with arrest under Section 8 of the Public Order Act.

Abuse of Section 8 is so routine its a complete joke amongst water charges and other protesters but its particularly disturbing when used in this manner to try and remove witnesses and prevent the gathering of evidence that may be important in a later court case. Are judges aware this this practise is widespread to prevent them being presented with evidence that would contradict Garda testimony?

Those arrested here were released without charge, would that have happened if the Garda thought no footage of what happened existed?

WORDS & VIDEO PRODUCTION: Andrew Flood (Follow Andrew on Twitter )