Sinn Féin Councillor calls for release of water charge protesters
A Sinn Féin Councillor has called for the immediate release of four water charge protesters who were jailed yesterday.
Two of the protesters were handed 28-day sentences for breaching a court order not to obstruct water meter installations, while another two were jailed for 56 days.
Damien O’Neill, of Greenwood Park, Coolock, and Paul Moore, of Mount Olive Grove in Kilbarrack, were sentenced to 56 days in prison.
Mr Justice Paul Gilligan said the actions of the protesters in north Dublin last December were "cowardly" and amounted to harassment of GMC Sierra's employees.
Bernie Hughes, of McKelvey Avenue, Finglas, and Derek Byrne, of Streamville Road, Donaghmede, were sentenced to 28 days in prison.
Sinn Féin Councillor Ciarán O'Moore has condemned the jailing of the protesters.
“I think it’s grossly unfair,” he said.
“It means, effectively, you can’t have protests any longer.
“I think the judge was wrong in what he did, he was wrong in declaring a 20m zone from a work area – what is a work area?
He added: “Effectively, what’s happening is - democracy is being eroded by the Government and their political policing.”
