New terrorism laws

Sully

So Direct Democracy Ireland and numerous other anti-establishment/government groups are spreading word that the need terrorism laws are apparently also targeting at opposition groups who encourage non payment of taxes. Penalty may not exceed ten years.

If this is correct, it's a game changer in terms of opposition politics and perhaps bordering on undemocratic.

Any thoughts?

Grolschevik

Without looking into it too much, I'd be 100% sure that any such claims coming from that Facebook page are sure bull****...

Pat Mustard

One of the attached images was of s.18 of the Offences Against the State Act 1939, which defines unlawful organisations.

This is not new at all.

The new bill is here. It's meant to deal with:
-public provocation of a terrorist offence.
-recruitment for terrorism.
-training for terrorism.

Explanatory memorandum to the Bill here.

I wouldn't pay much attention to Direct Democracy Ireland or People for Economic Justice or any other Ben Gilroy organisations. Ben regularly comes out spouting a load of Freeman type carry on. It's tinfoil hat nonsense.

You can do a search for the Freeman Megamerge thread in this forum, where DDI features a lot.

Talking about democratic, Direct Democracy Ireland has a permanent Council that controls the party. The council is not elected by members of the party. Direct Democracy indeed.

Pat Mustard

That said, although the Offences Against the State Act 1939 is nothing new, the measures in it could be viewed as severe and bordering on undemocratic, certainly.

I suppose that you could take into account the time in which it was enacted, too.