Mad to Bring Daughter on Saturday's March?

part time punk

Would I be mad to bring my daughter on the march planned for this Saturday http://www.ictu.ie/ ? She's about 20 months old and would be in a buggy. Ordinarily I'd think it wouldn't be a problem but some of the protests recently haven't ended well (although I'm sure the details have been exaggerated). Anyway just have a nagging feeling that this one could be hijacked by a few eejits (The Sinners, SWP etc.) and could turn a bit ugly. I'd hate to get caught up in that with her. Any thoughts ? Cheers

Stheno

I think you've answered it yourself really, there is always potential for violence/trouble at protest marches, and having a very small child there wouldn't be a good idea imo.

simu

I wouldn't. It's not worth the risk.

stovelid

Think there could be trouble at it.

mikemac

Don't do it, could be trouble

Even without trouble, in a crowd someone can step back and fall back onto the buggy.
Why I nearly did the same tonight in Tesco when someone put a buggy right by me in the queue and I stepped back!

How Strange

I'm going to buck the trend and say why not? I'm 7 months pregnant and I'm going. I'm going to stay the back at of it because most of the aggitators will be up the front to clash with the gardai and thats where the tv cameras will be. At the first sign of trouble I'm out of there and by being at the back it will be easier to get out.

nice1franko

Bringing mine in and she's 19 months old. It's largely for her benefit so why not?! Just keep to the back or sidelines away from any bustle and you can make a sharp exit if needs be.

TBH, I'm more worried that the noise will scare her.

lazygal

I think its totally inappropriate to bring children to a march. My stomach turned when I saw a pro-life march with six and seven year olds dragged along by their parents to support a cause they can't even begin to understand.


I don't know why anyone would put their children in danger like that, my parents marched in the 1980s and left us with an aunt.

Redpunto

Yes you would be mad! Dont take the chance, theres a lot of scumbags out there who given half a chance would love an aul riot.

metrovelvet

I wouldnt. The noise, the crowds, trying to manoever a buggy through the crowds to feed or change the child.

Atlantic Dawn

I wouldn't bring any child who is not capable of looking after themselves to a degree in a crowd, certainly no child under 12. There could be large crowds and nobody knows what the mood will be, could be lunatics there but hopefully not.

Beingolderis better

part time punk wrote: »

Would I be mad to bring my daughter on the march planned for this Saturday http://www.ictu.ie/ ? She's about 20 months old and would be in a buggy. Ordinarily I'd think it wouldn't be a problem but some of the protests recently haven't ended well (although I'm sure the details have been exaggerated). Anyway just have a nagging feeling that this one could be hijacked by a few eejits (The Sinners, SWP etc.) and could turn a bit ugly. I'd hate to get caught up in that with her. Any thoughts ? Cheers

Well as you can see there are mixed opinions,but it is an historical and important occasion ,and to miss it entirely would be a shame.
So why not go ,just to have a look,and test the 'water'. If you feel that somewhere at the back with perhaps some other parents would be safe ,go with the march.
If you feel uncomfortable at all,you can just leave.

part time punk

Thanks for all replies, still in two minds to be honest but it's good to see both view being put forward here. Lazygal - agree with you about kids on pro-life marches but I do think this is a different type of march about trying to improve things for her future as well, as opposed to a single issue/subject march, about which I hope my daughter would make up her own mind when she's old enough.

Nicki123

I was discussing this with my husband the other night and decided not to go in with our 20 month old daughter. The noise/atmosphere/crowds etc would be enough but all you need is someone to light the touchpaper and a riot to break out and the gardai are known to be heavyhanded and indiscriminate on these occassions.I personally wouldnt risk her getting caught up and blasted with a water cannon or some such.
Another poster pointed out that it's a historic moment and for the benefit of our children but that's not a good enough reason to drag a baby into the middle of a potential riot imo. If you're set on going get someone to mind her at home.

Nerin

I wouldn't bring a kid. Very high potential for trouble. I've heard from a source that the cops are going to have zero tolerance at this and all it will take is a handful of people to start trouble. I have to go up to report on it and i wouldn't even take a lend of recording equipment because of the potential of trouble, so bringing a kid isn't a good idea to me.

bullpost

There's always some lug who thinks its a good idea to throw a fire extinguisher off a roof, so if I were you I wouldn't risk it.

She'll have plenty time to attend protests in years to come.

spoonface

part time punk wrote: »

Thanks for all replies, still in two minds to be honest but it's good to see both view being put forward here. Lazygal - agree with you about kids on pro-life marches but I do think this is a different type of march about trying to improve things for her future as well, as opposed to a single issue/subject march, about which I hope my daughter would make up her own mind when she's old enough.

One way you could look at is - what's the worst that could happen and what's the best that could happen and does one outweigh the other.

You'll have a huge crowd of people who will be looking up and ahead rather than down and expecting to trip over a buggy. So it wouldn't be that hard for someone to land with their full weight on the buggy or just knock it over in passing.

On the other hand, what is there to gain from bringing her along? (I can't think of anything here) And does this possible gain outweigh the risks. I wouldn't have thought so.

You really don't want to be in a position where you look back and think "If only I hadn't brought her with me."

JoeyJJ

Are you fricken mad, my 23 month old is staying at home and so am I, I would love to go in but its not worth the risk. Putting you child in danger for the chance to have and extra person in the march is madness. There will be plenty of people at it.

Wolfe Tone

I would not bring the child at all. Nearly guaranteed to be trouble, all well and good saying you will be at the back, but it is very easy to get caught up in it.

I'm going to buck the trend and say why not? I'm 7 months pregnant and I'm going. I'm going to stay the back at of it because most of the aggitators will be up the front to clash with the gardai and thats where the tv cameras will be. At the first sign of trouble I'm out of there and by being at the back it will be easier to get out.

And as for the pregnant poster above, you must be insane. Stay at home. Look at what happened in england yesterday, very easy for there to be a bit of a crush, especially if the cops act similar here. In england the police blocked off the streets and kept the protesters corralled for hours(even non violent ones)

Fittle

Don't bring your child on Saturday - I think you'd be mad.

Even bringing my own child to the Paddy's Day Parade (which was technically, a much more celebratory atmosphere!) when he was about that age, in his buggy, was a nightmare for both him and me. I never went back until he was about 6.

A toddler + A buggy + a crowd of demonstrators = a recipe for potential disaster.

How Strange

MUSSOLINI wrote: »

And as for the pregnant poster above, you must be insane. Stay at home. Look at what happened in england yesterday, very easy for there to be a bit of a crush, especially if the cops act similar here. In england the police blocked off the streets and kept the protesters corralled for hours(even non violent ones)

I'm going for my baby because its his/her future which is f*cked and in years to come I want to be able to say to him/her while the majority of this country bent over, took the medicine and did nothing more than sit and home and moan about it I went and marched on the streets to voice my anger.

I've been on a few marches in town and 98% of the crowd are fine. The trouble makers (if you want to call them that, I don't) will be up front because they want to clash with the gardai and they want it on tv. The people down the line are there purely to demonstrate their anger and don't want to engage in violence.

I don't think there will be too much trouble in general although it might get out of hand up front as the route is quite neutral. We're not marching down to Merrion Sq as we usually would. Its going from Woodquay to GPO and I'll probably skip off at O'Connell Bridge onto Westmoreland St simply because I wouldn't be able to handle the large crowd once everyone stops walking.

As for the OP's question, he knows his child and if he thinks it would scare the life out of her then he shouldn't bring her but I really don't think there will be rioting but more of a squirmish up front with the rest of it being quite calm and uneventful. Irish people just don't do rioting or violent protesting.

Wolfe Tone

How Strange wrote: »

I'm going for my baby because its his/her future which is f*cked and in years to come I want to be able to say to him/her while the majority of this country bent over, took the medicine and did nothing more than sit and home and moan about it I went and marched on the streets to voice my anger.

I think you are insane. If I was the father there is no way in hell I would let you go, pure insanity. The sentiments are all well and good, but I do not think you should risk it.

I've been on a few marches in town and 98% of the crowd are fine. The trouble makers (if you want to call them that, I don't) will be up front because they want to clash with the gardai and they want it on tv. The people down the line are there purely to demonstrate their anger and don't want to engage in violence.

I know all about the protests. I expect there to be a fair bit of violence, but more importantly a huge Garda lashback. You could get stuck.

I don't think there will be too much trouble in general although it might get out of hand up front as the route is quite neutral. We're not marching down to Merrion Sq as we usually would. Its going from Woodquay to GPO and I'll probably skip off at O'Connell Bridge onto Westmoreland St simply because I wouldn't be able to handle the large crowd once everyone stops walking.

I think there will be quite a lot of trouble.

As for the OP's question, he knows his child and if he thinks it would scare the life out of her then he shouldn't bring her but I really don't think it will be a riot on the scale of Greece/France but more of a squirmish up front with the rest of it being quite calm and uneventful. Irish people just don't do rioting or violent protesting.

I must have imagined the "love Ulster" stuff then. Irish people have a long history of violent protest when they are angered enough.

How Strange

We'll just have to agree to disagree on this Mussolini

Wolfe Tone

Fair enough, be careful and bring a brolly to poke people with if you start getting squashed.

Fittle

How Strange, are you saying you are bringing your baby?

I'm a bit confused...you opened your post by saying you are going 'for' your baby etc.

HowStrange isn't the OP Mussolin, just in case you thought he was.:)

How Strange

Fittle I'm a 7 months pregnant woman as I said in my first post in reply to the op.

metrovelvet

Being 7 months pregnant is completely different from bringing a baby in a buggy and negotiating a crowd.

I wouldn;t see any problems being pregnant but with an infant in that noise and crowds could intimidate the baby and you might have a lot of hassle getting to feed or change or calm down the baby.

wolfpawnat

The ICTU have stated that it is a child friendly march! I am going to bring my son in and if it looks safe join the crowd!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hIDCqlE4Yb4

Mr Begg would not predict how many might attend, saying that could create a hostage to fortune.
However, he said it would be a family-friendly affair - peaceful, good humoured and well stewarded.

wolfpawnat

Sure if worse comes to worse all us parents can meet at the back of the crowd! Noise is not as bad but also it the Gardai and protesters clash we are well away from the trouble. And having been at several protests including the student with the buggy. You can be part of the crowd without being in any danger. I was at the back of the march!

If the Gardai start at a group parents and children then you know things are bad!!!!

How Strange

Eek! It's going to be damn cold and none of my thermal clothes fit me now.

Chuchoter

I really wouldn't be bringing kids or being pregnant. You can almost be certain that this will be, maybe if not to the same extent, but similar to the Greece riots. Also, at the pregnant woman, if you get knocked over you are screwed. I generally disagree with bringing kids to marches at all but specifically this one because there will be trouble.

colly10

How Strange wrote: »

Irish people just don't do rioting or violent protesting.

Really?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=unYlBWWZtDA

How Strange

I'm pleased to report that the march was peaceful, everyone around me behaved themselves and were just there to demonstrate their anger in a peaceful manner. I was in good company as the Irish nurses and midwives union were just behind me

wolfpawnat

Had a great day (feet were soaked and frozen) not once ounce of troube and was well organised!

The stigma of protests = rioting was hampered somewhat today!

I saw about 350-500 kids there too. Fantastic turn out