Workers Solidarity Movement

Around a thousand people marched through Dublin tonight to protest against the bail out of the banks. When the march reached the gates of the Dail a group went through the gates where they were attacked by Gardai with batons.

The march had been called by the SWP/Right To Work campaign and had achieved the backing of the UNITE union (whose regional secretary is a SWP member). It had also managed to get Fintan O'Toole, a high profile journalist, as a speaker at the start of the march along with speakers from the Community sector which has been targeted with viscous cuts. The weather was brutal with downpours just before and during the march but all the same around 1000 people took part.

When the march reached the gates of the Dail a group went through the gates where they were halted just a couple of meters inside the entrance. Gardai then attempted to push them out but when this failed they drew batons and attacked the crowd with at least three nasty head injuries being reported. Once the Gardai violence had forced the protesters to retreat the gates of the Dail were closed and locked. No arrests were being reported as of the end of the demonstration. 

Segment from the Vincent Brown show that shows most of the scuffle (from about 2 minutes in) and also segments of the speeches and an interview from the march.

Video shot from speakers truck by Paula of the first minute or so at the Dail gates