Sky: "Protesters Storm Irish Parliament"

Amhran Nua

Victor wrote: »

Those at the front causing the trouble had éirígí and Socialist Worker flags, the others were in the main crowd, non-involved in the violence.

Yup, it was those halfwits in the SWP behind this as usual. They are attempting to "radicalise" people and recreate the situation in Greece, happily most Irish people have more than the mental capacity of a duck and so wouldn't get involved with them.

A Socialist Workers Party representative Mary Smith said she received a blow to the head when she and others attempted to gain access to the front concourse of Leinster House through the gate.
“We tried to get into the Dáil to make our point as forcefully as we could,” she said.
“We all arrived at the gate at the same time. The police locked arms. There was a push. People behind me, I was kind of jammed there.
“The policeman in front of me looked me in the eye and reached over and deliberately hit me as hard as he could.”

At the risk of lowering the tone, lol.

seamus

Deleted User wrote: »

my sympathies lie with the people turning 18-19-20 now cos they have little opportunity or college grads

Personally my sympathies lie with people in their late fifties and early sixties who've been paying into a pension fund for the last 30 years which has now been all but left worthless.
Economies boom and bust, jobs come and go, people at 18/19/20 have their whole life ahead of them, they won't be jobless for more than a couple of years, and they will eventually get their chance to suckle on the teat of an economic boom.
But many people at or close to retirement who spent their time making sure they would be provided for when retirement came, now have little or nothing to show for it, and no way of catching up again.

The rest of us will survive. Debt is temporary, money is fleeting.

Permabear

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ok i point taken, but you can choose where you pension investment lie, i personally would have only about 20-30% based on stock markets, pensions based on irish markets are screwed but pensions based of world indices aren't as bad, the dow jones is now 20% off its record high, a big drop but will recover as record earnings coming out of the us. pensions can also be based on metals, now at record highs or other commodities and pensions can also have bonds in them which are also earning record yields, you get to choose where your pension goes, obviously financials are screwed

prinz

seamus wrote: »

I can't see a single Garda baton in that video, maybe I missed it.

I can see one definitely, at 23 seconds with the garda in the middle, he seems to swing down around waist height, and it doesn't look he made any contact with anyone, more a move to keep people moving back.

mkeano

While I don't condone trying to storm the Dail, I can understand the anger of people and sometimes I think we Irish don't do enough to vent our frustrations. The government play us off each other with a public v private debate which has dominated media and public attention more than the bank bail outs and government incompetence. People have fallen for government spin.

Tipp Man

donegalfella wrote: »

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He clearly didn't hit her hard enough

Amhran Nua

mkeano wrote: »

sometimes I think we Irish don't do enough to vent our frustrations.

Its sadly ironic that the likes of the SWP have stopped a hell of a lot more people from protesting than they've ever got on the streets.

gollem_1975

Originally Posted by seamus
I can't see a single Garda baton in that video, maybe I missed it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y2lEez-U4RY

batons were drawn alright but the guy receiving treatment at the end looks like he was hit from behind by a flag pole ( see 5.06mins into the clip )

Nodin

It would seem the word "storm" has - like the Irish property market - lost most of it's value.

gollem_1975

Nodin wrote: »

It would seem the word "storm" has - like the Irish property market - lost most of it's value.

I think the original thread title was based on the sensationalist Sky News headline which broke the story last night

seamus

gollem_1975 wrote: »

batons were drawn alright but the guy receiving treatment at the end looks like he was hit from behind by a flag pole ( see 5.06mins into the clip )

He was too; one of the protestors behind him swung a pole indiscriminately like a sword and smacked him on the top of the head.

From what I can see, only one Garda has a proper "baton", the others are using the smaller retractable baton which is mainly used for self-defence and small crowd control, which is exactly what this was.

Once again, a solid and professional performance by the Gardai.

dlofnep

Valmont wrote: »

Unemployment benefit for someone aged 18-24 is extortionately high. Compare it to the UK and then tell me again that they 'need it to barely get by'. I currently work five days a week on the minimum wage and if I switched to the dole I would only earn around 60 euro less. Can you not see the incentives young people have to stay at home and not look for jobs?

Yeah, we all work - and we all make x amount of money. The fact of the matter is - it's the youth of Ireland which has the least employed - and the jobs just aren't there for them. The single them out is discrimination. They have bills to pay too, and a life to live. Comparing it to Britain doesn't mean much - because the cost of living in Britain is severely less than Ireland. It's moot either way - because a 25 year old and a 24 year old share similar responsibilities. Why say one should have half the support, and the other full support?

Valmont wrote: »

I don't know how you can actually support a group that is campaigning to keep ridiculously high unemployment benefits so that young people can have nights out on the town, join up at curves gym, eat at Captain Americas, and buy suits at Cuff's formal wear, all at the taxpayer's expense. Don't fool yourself, unemployment benefits long ceased their basic functions of helping people barely scrape by, they are now blatantly, openly, and unashamedly about maintaining unearned lifestyles and luxuries with money taken from those who actually get up in the morning to go to work.

Now, please defend them again, with a straight face.

Who said I supported the above? What utter hyperbole.

And if you think that people are living lavish lifestyles on the dole, you're seriously mistaken. Sure, there will always be some who abuse the system and make it a lifestyle - but why punish everyone for the actions of a few? That seems to be the agenda in this country as of late.

Scarab80

mkeano wrote: »

While I don't condone trying to storm the Dail, I can understand the anger of people and sometimes I think we Irish don't do enough to vent our frustrations. The government play us off each other with a public v private debate which has dominated media and public attention more than the bank bail outs and government incompetence. People have fallen for government spin.

Or maybe people in this country are more intelligent than you give them credit for and realise that we will be borrowing about 20bn this year to pay for social welfare and public services and about 1bn to bail out the banks.

Perhaps you shouldn't fall for the socialist spin and look at the figures.

mkeano

Scarab80 wrote: »

Or maybe people in this country are more intelligent than you give them credit for and realise that we will be borrowing about 20bn this year to pay for social welfare and public services and about 1bn to bail out the banks.

Perhaps you shouldn't fall for the socialist spin and look at the figures.

You missed my point, I'm not defending the public sector and it has absolutely nothing to do with socialism. Yes there needed to be cuts and I also believe the public sector needs to be reformed but the government and the media have been sensationalising issues that have always been there and by doing so are deflecting attention away from the government. I think people need to be more angry with the banks and the government for allowing the economy to get into its current state, I think the government should have fallen over the entire fiasco and in any other country they wouldn't have accepted their incompetence.

FTA69

Euro_Kraut wrote: »

These guys are no hippy. Anarchists with republican link most likely. I saw few pictures that showed Eirigí banners. These guys have a bit of a history when it comes to violent protests.

They don't really. The cops were the only people there beating people over the heads with batons. But I suppose what would you expect from a pig only a grunt.

prinz

FTA69 wrote: »

The cops were the only people there beating people over the heads with batons..

Any pictures or videos of cops beating people over the head with batons? I have only seen one head injury and that was caught on video being caused by another protestor.

Fuhrer

gollem_1975 wrote: »

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y2lEez-U4RY

batons were drawn alright but the guy receiving treatment at the end looks like he was hit from behind by a flag pole ( see 5.06mins into the clip )

Several protestors should have been arrested for assault.

conorhal

FTA69 wrote: »

They don't really. The cops were the only people there beating people over the heads with batons. But I suppose what would you expect from a pig only a grunt.

I noted those Eirigi banners with some considerable concern because those nutters have very strong links with dissident republicanism.
One of their members was arrested for murder after the killing as the Massereene barracks in Antrim. And were there's one, there's more. Sure you get the usual denials about how they are an unaffiliated, non-violent protest group, but then Nordie thugs have always been comfortable talking out of both sides of their mouths. The fact is that Eirigi are a dangerous bunch and their appearance is worrying and does not bode well for peaceful protestors.

murphaph

Scarab80 wrote: »

Or maybe people in this country are more intelligent than you give them credit for and realise that we will be borrowing about 20bn this year to pay for social welfare and public services and about 1bn to bail out the banks.

Perhaps you shouldn't fall for the socialist spin and look at the figures.

I hope to God the people are clever enough to realise that most of this trouble is of our own making. Blaming FF and a load of faceless builders and bankers is such a ****in cop out it does my head in.

FF could have been removed from government 3 times during the post 1990s export led boom. The people clearly agreed with their section 23s and rampant house price inflation or they would have been voted out a decade ago. These groups of raggle taggle wasters would be better advised to vote. I don't know what they were doing at the Dail anyway, sure there was probably nobody home!

I have no problem with peaceful protest, so long as the people doing it back it up by using the political processes available to them (ie, voting). I hate idiots who don't vote, showing up to these loonie leftie get togethers.

Morpheus

And were there's one, there's more. Sure you get the usual denials about how they are an unaffiliated, non-violent protest group, but then Nordie thugs have always been comfortable talking out of both sides of their mouths Ar$e$.

Saw that bloke get clobbered from behind, plenty of hoody wearing scroats there causing mayhem, you could plainly see the more carnival athmosphered main protest group were visibly shaken by what happened.

As for newspaper reports that 100 protestors tried to get in? more like 40 muppets and 60 news reporters!!!

Coillte_Bhoy

RATM wrote: »

I've no doubt that there was a quick phone call from the Garda Press Office to RTE and other Irish news agencies telling them not to report it until its under control.

Otherwise they risk loads more like myself heading down there right now to join in the fun.

Sky news however are UK based and they won't be told when or what to report by the Gardai. Our media on the other hands are a bunch of compliant ****.

Ya whatever and of course in Britain Sky wont do the bidding of the tory govt???

sensibleken

it is unfortunate nature of protests that they the most visible participants are always the loonies because theyre the ones who bring flags. Eirigí, SWP will always be at any protest regardless of what it is about and piss everyone else there off.

that is not to say that any protester not carrying a banner is in any way associated with them so lets not pile them all into a loony left category

peacefull protest is a very healthy thing for a society. it is a way of telling politicians that you are not satisfied with what is going on. yes we can vote them out in two years but two years is a long time for anyone thats hurting for the moment.and yes i am a socialist and no i was not on the march

Coillte_Bhoy

murphaph wrote: »

I hope to God the people are clever enough to realise that most of this trouble is of our own making. Blaming FF and a load of faceless builders and bankers is such a ****in cop out it does my head in.

FF could have been removed from government 3 times during the post 1990s export led boom. The people clearly agreed with their section 23s and rampant house price inflation or they would have been voted out a decade ago. These groups of raggle taggle wasters would be better advised to vote. I don't know what they were doing at the Dail anyway, sure there was probably nobody home!

I have no problem with peaceful protest, so long as the people doing it back it up by using the political processes available to them (ie, voting). I hate idiots who don't vote, showing up to these loonie leftie get togethers.

How do you know who voted or not? Ridiculous assumption to make. You dont know what they were doing at the Dail??? FFS, you sound really clued in.

FTA69

prinz wrote: »

Any pictures or videos of cops beating people over the head with batons? I have only seen one head injury and that was caught on video being caused by another protestor.

The papers today were stating that the cops used batons on people, I doubt the Irish Examiner is engaging in lefty propaganda. Similarly I also spoke to one fella who was struck a number of times with a police baton.

conorhal,

One of their members was arrested for murder after the killing as the Massereene barracks in Antrim.

Former member.

The fact is that Eirigi are a dangerous bunch and their appearance is worrying and does not bode well for peaceful protestors.

And what makes them dangerous, interestingly enough they're the only Republican party that doesn't have links with an armed group and neither do they espouse the validity of an armed struggle.

ballsymchugh

FTA69 wrote: »

And what makes them dangerous, interestingly enough they're the only Republican party that doesn't have links with an armed group and neither do they espouse the validity of an armed struggle.

i'm pretty sure sinn féin have said for years that they had no links with the PIRA. dlofnep, with due respect, can you confirm?

the guy that had the little cut on his head was the first person to lose his footing early on when the crowd pushed towards the gate then. did he not cut his head then? why would you join a bunch like that if you're not great on your feet?
don't get me started on the health and safety of attending the wounds of a stranger without wearing gloves!!

Victor

Scarab80 wrote: »

Or maybe people in this country are more intelligent than you give them credit for and realise that we will be borrowing about 20bn this year to pay for social welfare and public services and about 1bn to bail out the banks.

The banks already have a multiple of that.

Fuhrer

FTA69 wrote: »

The papers today were stating that the cops used batons on people, I doubt the Irish Examiner is engaging in lefty propaganda. Similarly I also spoke to one fella who was struck a number of times with a police baton.

Not beating people over the head though, is it?

Former member.

Still a member

And what makes them dangerous, interestingly enough they're the only Republican party that doesn't have links with an armed group and neither do they espouse the validity of an armed struggle.

Former members who commited murder?

prinz

FTA69 wrote: »

The papers today were stating that the cops used batons on people, I doubt the Irish Examiner is engaging in lefty propaganda. Similarly I also spoke to one fella who was struck a number of times with a police baton...

The gardaín can be seen using batons to keep people back ( not beating anyone, simply using a baton to keep people at arms distance ), but I have yet to see ay evidence of people being "beaten over the head" by gardaí, the only person across a number of videos I have seen so far being struck on the head was hit by a fellow protestor waving a flagpole around.

Is this really going to turn into one of those 'I was there...' moments :rolleyes:

Permabear

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