Three, including pregnant political activist, charged with assaulting garda in protest
A pregnant political activist has been charged with assaulting a garda during yesterday's massive Irish Water demonstration in Dublin.
Gardaí carried out six arrests during the generally peaceful protest which marched from the Garden of Remembrance to Government buildings. Three were released without charge and three were brought before Dublin District Court.
A sit-down protest involving some of the demonstrators at the southside of O'Connell Bridge led to arrests, Judge Michael Walsh heard.
Saoirse Bennett was arrested and had been held overnight at Irishtown Garda station.
The 21-year-old woman, who has an address at Pearse Green, Sallynoggin, Dublin, is charged with assaulting a Garda sergeant, obstructing her in the course of her duty and damaging the jacket of her uniform.
The offences are alleged to have occurred at D'Olier St. She is also accused of failing to comply with a Garda direction to leave the vicinity, breach of the peace and damaging a second garda's uniform.
Gardaí objected to bail. However Judge Walsh refused to remand the young woman in custody.
Following arguments from defence solicitor Stephen O'Mahony, he also refused to impose conditions of bail sought by gardaí: a ban from the D.2 area and a curfew.
Gardaí objected to bail being granted to her father, 43-year-old Stephen Bennett, also of Pearse Green, Sallynoggin, who was charged with failing to leave the vicinity of Burgh Quay, D2, and preventing the passage of a Garda van.
Gda Anthony Brazil said Bennett was in a “break-away” group and was, “arrested, protesting on the street, having been asked to desist in his behaviour”. He said Bennett was cautioned twice and continued sitting on the street blocking traffic.
Additional traffic diversions had to be set up as a result, Gda Brazil said.
In reply to the charge the activist said: “It is the sign of morally and corrupt gardaí pulling charges out of their arse to manufacture breaches of bail.”
Judge Walsh remarked, “peaceful protests have always been part of our history” and granting bail, he said Bennett is not a flight risk. The father and daughter were ordered appear again on January 8.
Barry O'Sullivan, 36, from Sli an Chanail, Leixlip, Co. Kildare, was charged with not obeying a garda direction under the Public Order Act to leave the Burgh Quay area, and preventing the passage of a vehicle.
There was no bail objection in the case of Mr O'Sullivan who was ordered to appear again on January 29.
Judge Walsh ordered gardaí to hand over any video evidence to the defence.
