Paul Murphy: Water-protester sentences 'shocking'
Anti-austerity alliance TD Paul Murphy has described the jailing of four Dublin water protesters as "shocking".
Mr Justice Paul Gilligan imposed 28-day sentences on three protesters - Bernie Hughes of McKelvey Avenue, Finglas; Michael Batty of Edenmore Avenue, Raheny; and Derek Byrne of Streamville Road, Donaghmede.
He put a stay on Mr Batty's sentence as he is out of the country.
He imposed 56-day sentences on Damien O'Neill of Greenwood Park in Coolock and Paul Moore of Mount Olive Grove in Kilbarrack, who were previously found guilty of contempt.
There were loud cheers and chants of "no way we won't pay" amongst supporters as the demonstrators were led away from court.
Deputy Murphy said the jailings were an attack on people's right to protest.
"There was an injunction granted by the court to GMC Sierra preventing people protesting peacefully within 20 meters of a water installation," he said, "so, yes, the legality of it is that it was a contempt of court, but it was an injunction granted to a private company out to make profit that's imposing water meters in areas that don't want (them)."
Judge just jailed five people for protesting within 20 metres of water meter installation. #PoliticalPolicing #PoliticalJudging
— Paul Murphy 🏳️⚧️ (@paulmurphy_TD) February 19, 2015
