AAA: Murphy arrest 'cheap attempt to denigrate' water protest movement
The Anti Austerity Alliance say the arrest of TD Paul Murphy is "another cheap attempt to denigrate the movement against the water charges".
Mr Murphy was arrested by Gardaí this morning and is one of four men being held at stations across Dublin, in relation to the alleged false imprisonment of Tánaiste Joan Burton at a protest in Jobstown three months ago.
Socialist TD Joe Higgins says
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Mr Higgins said: "The arrests of AAA TD Paul Murphy, councillors Kieran Mahon and Mick Murphy and a fourth person who remains to be identified to us as we go to press is a cheap attempt to denigrate and weaken water charges movement as we approach make or break time - bills coming out and need for mass non-payment.
"This is the product of a 'criminal' investigation involving six Gardaí and an 'incident room' in Tallaght since November.
"Numerous local people and activists have been interviewed over that time during which the investigating Gardaí have constantly enquired about Paul Murphy's connection with the events of 15th November.
"Ordinary people in Tallaght and everywhere else will see this as way over the top and a disgraceful and criminal waste of Garda time and resources."
Mr Higgins questioned if investigation was about "creating bad publicity for the anti water charges movement".
He added: "I don’t know, but I mean we have seen other ‘luminaries’ of society arrested by appointment, you know.
"Apparently, activists can be virtually almost taken from their beds, you know."
Paul Murphy's partner Farah Mokhtarzadeh said it was "quite a fright" when gardaí came to arrest the TD before 7am this morning.
"We got the knock and their were six officers all there, who came inside and in a kind of a gruff way told him (he) had to come with them right away - and he was still in his pyjamas and he had to ask them if he could change his clothes," she said.
"They at least allowed for that, but it was quite a fright this morning."
Agriculture and Defence Minister Simon Coveney rejected the claims of political policing.
“If someone is trapped in their car for a few hours because people are banging on the windows and kicking the doors, well then the guards will take action and I think that is what is happening here,” he said.
“We have no interest in any further coverage for the kind of protests Paul Murphy was involved in.
“I can assure you this is the guards just doing their job and following up on an incident that may well have involved breaking the law.”
TD Ruth Coppinger said: "Where is this investigation coming from? Direct orders from the Government via the Department of Justice may or may not be the case but it is more likely that the Garda have decided to exaggerate and trump up the events of November 15 last year to help the government who are on the back foot on the water charges.
These arrests won't deter people of Jobstown, of #dubsw or generally and the #watercharges will be defeated. pic.twitter.com/qlijXLZqpi
— Ruth Coppinger (@RuthCoppingerSP) February 9, 2015
"On November 15 a small protest in Jobstown was swelled spontaneously when word went round that Tánaiste Joan Burton was in the area.
"This resulted in the delaying of the Tánaiste for a couple of hours as people made clear to her their opposition to water charges and her attacks on the community as Minister for Social Welfare.
"This was a strong but peaceful protest. The AAA people arrested today did not organise the protest but participated in it and helped ensure that the community could make their point but also that it remained peaceful.
"It is ironic that on the day, at the time, on the ground, the local police recognised the role that they played and even thanked Paul Murphy."
She concluded by saying that the action will not deter people from continuing to protest.
Small protests have been mounted outside a number of Garda stations where the arrested men, all aged between 30 and 50, are being held.
Tens of thousands of people have been protesting in recent months over the introduction of water charges, the latest austerity levy imposed in Ireland since a spectacular economic crash seven years ago.
Taoiseach Enda Kenny, senior Government ministers and even Irish President Michael D Higgins have been targeted by rowdy demonstrations during public engagements.
Originally, the Government signalled the water levy would be up to €600 a year for some families, but this was later changed to €60 for single adult homes and €160 for all other homes, a flat rate set for four years from January 1.
Critics claim it is a tax too much, does not encourage conservation and is unfair.
The Government has said that it was necessary to update the country’s historically under-invested public water system.
