Over 30 years of anarchist writing from Ireland listed under hundreds of topics
JobstownNotGuilty
Coverage of the Garda raids and prosecutions that followed a sit down protest against then Labour Party leader Joan Burton. The state attempted to frame over 20 community activists and organisers with laws originally brought in to combat kidnapping, the only conviction obtained was in the jury less childrens court meaning in effect that a single 15 year old supposedly kidnapped the Labour Party leader in the presence of an escort of 60+ Garda.
Right to Plunder the Economy, Not Right to Protest
Date: Mon, 2015-02-09 12:00
This morning squads of Garda around Dublin mounted dawn raids on the houses of 
water charges protesters over a sit in 3 months ago in Jobstown. At the same time across the city bankers and other speculators named in the HSBC Geneva Private Bank leaks slept soundly in their beds knowing no one was going to be knocking down their door. If you want to understand the nature of power the contrast provides an excellent example.
The raids this morning were all about what the politicians' spin doctors like to call optics. Politicians, media and the Gardaí are on a drive to criminalise and marginalise those resisting the imposition of water charges. Sit ins and blockades have been part of political protest in Ireland for decades, the IFA routinely has far more militant protests.
State Repression of Anti-Water Charges Movement as Jobstown 4 Arrested
Date: Mon, 2015-02-09 09:30
Photo: State repression in action - Anti water charge protests Paul Murphy being arrested by 6 Garda at 7am this morning
Shocking news this morning as we hear that Garda have arrested four anti-water tax protesters this morning in connection with the sit down protest three months ago that kept Joan Burton in her car for a couple of hours. The Jobstown 4 are Paul Murphy, Scott Masterson, Mick Murphy and Kieran Mahon.
The arrests were made just before 7am this morning when teams of Garda arrived at the homes of those targeted. Eirigi have described the arrest of Scott as follows
"‘At around 7am this morning up to a dozen Gardaí in five vehicles arrived at Scott Masterson’s home. Scott was the only adult in the house getting his two young daughters ready for primary school and pre-school. When Scott’s partner returned to the house, having earlier gone to work, there were eight Gardaí in the house along with Scott and the two children. Scott was then arrested and made to stand in handcuffs on a public road for a number of minutes before being transported to Tallaght Garda barracks.’
Burton tries to pinkwash Jobstown
Date: Sat, 2014-11-22 17:34
Joan Burton has seized upon her brief inconvenience in being faced with the people in Jobstown last week to try and smear water charge resistance in general.
Now the Phone is already notorious for inventing quotes from random people she claims to meet about how they just love austerity so perhaps you’ll forgive us some cynicism. In any case, according to the Irish Times:
"Joan Burton has accused Socialist Party TD Paul Murphy of “smirking” while protesters threw missiles and taunted gardaí with homophobic and misogynistic remarks during the water chargers protest."
Statement on the Jobstown brick
Date: Mon, 2014-11-17 17:13
After weeks of Garda provocation, and just after Garda beat protesters with batons someone finally snapped and threw a single brick back. When a politician as unpopular as Joan Burton uses dozens of riot police to force her way into and out of one of the most deprived communities in the state, what should be expected but angry protest. And when at a moment of unprecedented popular mobilisation those same Garda pull pepper spray & batons for use against water charge resistors what is a single brick bouncing off a car in response.
