Protest at Tallaght garda station over Jobstown arrests
A protest in West Dublin over the early morning arrests of anti-water charge activists has passed off peacefully.
Hundreds of people gathered in Jobstown and Tallaght Village this afternoon before marching to Tallaght Garda Station and on to the Civic Theatre for a rally.
Front of march in Tallaght. pic.twitter.com/2RxxP7OMe1
— Workers Solidarity (@WSMIreland) February 14, 2015
In the last week , 20 people have been arrested in connection with the water protest here in Jobstown last November, which saw Tanaiste Joan Burton trapped in her car for several hours.
Protesters on the scene today said the recent arrests are completely unjust, targeting the anti-water charges campaign, and unethical.
Anti-water charges demonstrators outside Tallaght Garda Station protesting this week's early morning arrests. #ntfm pic.twitter.com/3jTav8SYRl
— Róisín Treacy (@roisintreacy) February 14, 2015
Anti-Austerity Alliance TD Paul Murphy was among those taken into custody. He said today’s demonstration was about people defending their right to protest.
"Ministers' cars [and] Taoiseachs' cars have often been impeded in their progress through sit-down protests, slow marches - many, many times," he said.
"I'm not aware of any incident whereby people then face dawn raids three months later. It is an attempt to send a message to the people engaged that they can't engage in that kind of protest - and people should defend their right."
