Workers Solidarity Movement

In a disgraceful if not unexpected scene the High Court has again taken the side of property speculators and ordered the arrest of the remaining squatters at Grangegorman - 19th May. The judge also imposed a 14-day prison sentence on one of the occupiers who said he had not yet vacated the premises because he wanted time to bring an appeal to the Supreme Court

The Grangegorman complex squatted some 18 months ago was the site of violent scenes in the spring as privatise security and Garda attacked the residents. After a day long resistance culminating in residents being attacked by security wielding iron bars and then having a van driven over them security were forced to leave the site.

There is no planning permission or even plans for the site, some 30 people were being evicted simply so the site could be returned to the Monopoly board that is property speculation in Dublin. The reason there is so much dereliction in Dublin is that again and again property is put ahead of housing.

Update - the person reported as being given the 14 days in the media has posted online that he is not in jail. Others in GG have told media they are willing to be arrested to make the point

WORDS: Andrew Flood (Follow Andrew on Twitter )