Three arrested in UCD as students protest about fees

Sully · 21-10-2008 11:28AM #1

EDUCATION CUTBACKS: "NO CUTBACKS, no fees, no Fianna Fáil TDs" was the rallying cry of students who gathered in University College Dublin (UCD) last night to protest against the possible reintroduction of third-level fees.

About 100 students took part in the protest, many bearing banners, ahead of the arrival of Minister for Finance Brian Lenihan, who was chairing a function at the Clinton Institute on the Belfield campus.

A strong Garda and campus security presence were on hand to monitor the protest and three people were arrested for breaches of the peace. The arrests came following two minor scuffles when protesters attempted to break through a metal fence surrounding the entrance to the building.

The students began to sit on the ground in an attempt to block the entrance to the venue shortly before 6pm and chants of "this Government has disgraced themselves" filled the air. Mr Lenihan entered the building through a side door.

"We're here to say that if the Minister is going to create a barrier to students coming to university, we're going to create a barrier for him coming on to campus," UCD students' union president Aodhan O'Dea said.

"This is our campus and if fees come in next year it will create a barrier to thousands of students."

Mr O'Dea was also critical of the increase in college registration fees, from €900 to €1,500, introduced in last week's Budget.

"Of the extra €600 implemented on registration fees, none of that is actually going to students, so students are angry about this and it is going to affect everyone." Thousands of students from across the country will attend a protest against fees in Dublin tomorrow, he added.

Source: Irish Times

Gotta love the picture in the paper. Being dragged away by the Guards, but there all hanging onto each other. Wasnt that peaceful of a protest!

Raiser · 21-10-2008 11:47AM

Thanks and respect.

- Apathy is in danger of becoming the Irish National trait.

Dragan · 21-10-2008 11:58AM

How many students are there in UCD, and 100 of them show up?

Obviously they don't care about the issue that much?

javaboy · 21-10-2008 12:00PM

Yesterday I heard about Dublin Bus cutting off services after 8.30 to the UCD campus because of vandalism and anti-social behaviour including an assault on a bus conductor/driver. And now they're getting arrested in violent protests?

Shut that hotbed of violence down I say!

skywalker · 21-10-2008 12:01PM

Both the "registration fee" being a back door to fees, and the possible reintroduction of third level fees are a disgrace & should be opposed by anyone who wants to see this country with any sort of a strong economy. It beggars belief that the current govt believe they can shop us abroad as a knowledge economy while pulling stunts like this.

javaboy · 21-10-2008 12:04PM

skywalker wrote: »

It beggars belief that the current govt believe they can shop us abroad as a knowledge economy while pulling stunts like this.

They have a few more brilliant policies too such as the providing 3 years of postgraduate funding for PhDs that typically takes 4 years.

faceman · 21-10-2008 12:06PM

Dragan wrote: »

How many students are there in UCD, and 100 of them show up?

Obviously they don't care about the issue that much?

It was probably student night in Copper Face Jacks last night!

stovelid · 21-10-2008 12:11PM

Tut tut.

The oppressive college authorities are not on the ball.

If they had just sprung a wildcat, topless-half-price-tequila beach party in the UCD bar at the same time as the protest.....

Mark200 · 21-10-2008 12:14PM

There's a planned protest in town tomorrow aswell

Degsy · 21-10-2008 12:18PM

Mark200 wrote: »

There's a planned protest in town tomorrow aswell

Lets see how many of them bother thier holes to show up.
You only have to look at the way most students are dressed these days to see that its not causing them a major problem.
Daddy's money FTW!

Mark200 · 21-10-2008 12:21PM

Degsy wrote: »

Lets see how many of them bother thier holes to show up.
You only have to look at the way most students are dressed these days to see that its not causing them a major problem.
Daddy's money FTW!

I think it'd be ironic if loads do turn up....considering most will have to skip classes to attend

thelordofcheese · 21-10-2008 12:21PM

Degsy wrote: »

Lets see how many of them bother thier holes to show up.
You only have to look at the way most students are dressed these days to see that its not causing them a major problem.
Daddy's money FTW!

Ahh after hours, it runs like fuckin' clockwork.

RandolphEsq · 21-10-2008 12:28PM

Dental plan

Cuddlesworth · 21-10-2008 12:34PM

javaboy wrote: »

Yesterday I heard about Dublin Bus cutting off services after 8.30 to the UCD campus because of vandalism and anti-social behaviour including an assault on a bus conductor/driver. And now they're getting arrested in violent protests?

Shut that hotbed of violence down I say!

I have never ever seen anything of the sort on any bus that goes near UCD that was not related to passengers heading to other places.

Phototoxin · 21-10-2008 12:41PM

Lisa needs braces...

*drops pencil down Brighteyes arse*

ahem...

"Of the extra €600 implemented on registration fees, none of that is actually going to students, so students are angry about this and it is going to affect everyone." Thousands of students from across the country will attend a protest against fees in Dublin tomorrow, he added.

where's it going ? Biffos car and driver when the working pleb is told to use a bicycle ?

Whispered · 21-10-2008 12:42PM

Degsy wrote: »

Lets see how many of them bother thier holes to show up.
You only have to look at the way most students are dressed these days to see that its not causing them a major problem.
Daddy's money FTW!

ignorance is bliss.

If it's not daddys money it'll be the damn scroungers, getting everything paid for, sure nobody in this country pays for anything off their own backs. :rolleyes:

veritable · 21-10-2008 01:03PM

This whole thing of "daddy's money" is ****e. You are exaggerating this beyond belief. The vast majority of students in UCD are not like this and work hard to get through college.

Degsy · 21-10-2008 01:18PM

veritable wrote: »

This whole thing of "daddy's money" is ****e. You are exaggerating this beyond belief. The vast majority of students in UCD are not like this and work hard to get through college.

Which is why out of 10,000 students 100 show up to protest about something that'll affect them.
The 60's are long gone!

P_1 · 21-10-2008 01:23PM

Unfortunatley, I was in work yesterday evening, if I was not I would have been there yesterday. (Yes some of us students do work:eek:)

The protest in town should be interesting to say the least.

Ziggurat · 21-10-2008 01:25PM

http://ie.youtube.com/watch?v=5DmYLrxR0Y8

4zn76tysfajdxp · 21-10-2008 01:26PM

You protest you get accused of being a hippy and a crusty. You don't protest and you get accused of apathy.

So what's the alternative? Really, what is there to do? I don't just mean in this case, when shit is really hitting the fan and things need to change, wtf do we do? I'm honestly at a loss here...

thefinalstage · 21-10-2008 01:30PM

Degsy wrote: »

Lets see how many of them bother thier holes to show up.
You only have to look at the way most students are dressed these days to see that its not causing them a major problem.
Daddy's money FTW!

I would have to skip class in order to show up. This fiasco is leaving a bitter taste in my mouth. When my education is done I am emigrating regardless of the economic climate here. ****ty government are trying to remove every social freedom...

griffdaddy · 21-10-2008 02:17PM

Degsy wrote: »

Which is why out of 10,000 students 100 show up to protest about something that'll affect them.
The 60's are long gone!

or it could be because everyone has mid-terms due in this or next week.

veritable · 21-10-2008 02:22PM

griffdaddy wrote: »

or it could be because everyone has mid-terms due in this or next week.

here here

Wompa1 · 21-10-2008 02:31PM

Remington Limited Sunspot wrote: »

You protest you get accused of being a hippy and a crusty. You don't protest and you get accused of apathy.

So what's the alternative? Really, what is there to do? I don't just mean in this case, when shit is really hitting the fan and things need to change, wtf do we do? I'm honestly at a loss here...

"I was asked what is it with you?...is it Apathy or ignorance. I replied I don't know...I don't care"

More on point screw them. I do think most will go unaffected for the short term at least until their daddys are propping up the counter at the dole office...am I right!!?

Stercus Accidit · 21-10-2008 02:36PM

Theres a protest tomorrow.

I never even heard of yesterdays one.

I pay for college myself and with grants, no "daddy money" here, a phrase which stings of bitterness tbh.

4zn76tysfajdxp · 21-10-2008 02:39PM

Wompa1 wrote: »

"I was asked what is it with you?...is it Apathy or ignorance. I replied I don't know...I don't care"

More on point screw them. I do think most will go unaffected for the short term at least until their daddys are propping up the counter at the dole office...am I right!!?

Well you know what, let's just assume for a minute that not everybody's "Daddy" isn't a multi-millionaire who reaches into his gilded pockets for college fees without a moment's hesitation. Now what? How can those kids show their displeasure for potential college fees? Protests don't work so what's the alternative?

21-10-2008 02:47PM

faceman wrote: »

It was probably student night in Copper Face Jacks last night!

Every night is student night in CFJ's

DublinWriter · 21-10-2008 02:50PM

Raiser wrote: »

Apathy is in danger of becoming the Irish National trait.

Fixed it for you.

Stercus Accidit · 21-10-2008 02:55PM

DublinWriter wrote: »

Fixed it for you.

Why bother who cares.:pac:

emeraldstar · 21-10-2008 03:01PM

faceman wrote: »

It was probably student night in Copper Face Jacks last night!

Ah dearest Coppers... every night is student night

EDIT: Feck, beaten to it.

Three arrested in UCD as students protest about fees

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