3000 march to Mountjoy Prison in solidarity with the 12 people jailed over Bin Tax protests

dublin | bin tax / household tax / water tax | news report

Saturday October 11, 2003 16:13

by Indymedia Kevin - IMC Éire

Report & Photos.

Approximately 3000 anti bin tax activists showed up for a demonstration today from the Garden of Remembrance on Parnell Square to Mountjoy Prison on the North Circular Road.

The march was called as a show of solidarity for the 12 people who have been jailed for refusing to comply with court orders stopping them from interfering with the collection of refuse in their areas. The latest ten to be jailed were local activists in the Finglas area, five men and five women. All five of the women have children, including two with grandchildren.

There were a wide variety of political groups and unions on the march, and organisations from outside Dublin had come along to show solidarity, including people from Waterford, Cork, Drogheda, Limerick, and Galway.

The crowd was addressed by several speakers, including Mick O'Reilly of the ATGWU and Ruth Coppinger, a Socialist Party Councillor for the Mulhuddart ward in Fingal. While the speeches were in progress, a march of approximately 120 people from the Cabra and Stoneybatter Campaign Against the Bin Tax arrived down from the direction of St Peter's Church, and were greeted with cheers and applause.

During his speech, the general secretary of SIPTU (cant recall his name) was heckled and jeered by some people within the crowd. They demanded that his union do more instead of sitting on the fence, and there were repeated calls from a large section of the crowd for SIPTU (and the ICTU) to call a general strike immediately.

Members of the TEEU and the DCTU also spoke - and during their speeches similar calls were made for a general strike. The mood of the crowd seemed quite angry at times with the union leadership.

After five or six speeches the crowd dispersed. The SWP members demanded that one of their members Brid Rodgers (I think) be allowed address the crowd, and were incensed when the organisers dismantled the equipment, calling the march and platform a disgrace and a sham.

A large contingent of the people marched up the Cabra Road back towards home around Cabra West/Dunard, showing just how strong the campaign is in local inner city areas as well as the suburbs.