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ENDA KENNY HAS said the anti-water charge protesters who are demonstrating outside politicians’ homes, such as that of Fine Gael TD Ray Butler, are “terrifying young families”.
The Taoiseach also said he believes the anti-water charge protesters who were jailed last week wanted to be in contempt of court.
Anti-Austerity Alliance TD Ruth Coppinger raised the issue during Leaders’ Questions today.
She accused the government of attempting to criminalise water protesters, something she described as “anti-democractic” and an “affront to the right to protest”.
The Taoiseach said peaceful protest has long been a part of Irish society, but that the protesters who were jailed “knew very well what they were doing”, adding: “They wanted to be in contempt of court, as far as I can assess.”
Last Thursday three protesters – Bernie Hughes, Derek Byrne and Michael Batty – were sentenced to 28 days in prison by Justice Paul Gilligan, while Paul Moore and Damien O’Neill were handed down 56 days each.
They were previously given 28-day suspended sentences in November, which they will now serve along with another 28-day term.
Coppinger asked Kenny “how far” Fine Gael and Labour were willing to go in their “vain attempt” to discredit protesters, labelling the arrests of more than 20 people in Tallaght as “outrageous”.
The Dublin West TD said the coalition has “bled ordinary people dry to feed the greed of bankers an the financial market”, adding that it is intent on throwing the people of Greece “to the wolves”.
She said there would be a mass boycott of paying the charges, telling the Taoiseach he should listen to “the majority of people” and abolish water charges.
If he doesn’t, the government will be “obliterated” in the General Election, Coppinger warned.
Kenny said Coppinger and her Socialist Party colleague Paul Murphy, one of those arrested, were encouraging people to break the law.
You are inviting people to break the law, like Deputy Murphy beside you.
He said he recognised the laws of land, noting that the courts are independent of the government.
Kenny advised Coppinger to speak to Fine Gael TD Ray Butler after a protest was held outside his home last night. The Taoiseach accused some protesters of “terrifying young families”.
You should go and speak to Deputy Butler today. Go and speak to him in respect of fear, intimidation and the frightening of young people.
“If you want political leadership, then don’t attempt to be leading a mob.”
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They would deny it wouldnt they. Dont believe the British government for a second. Dont forget WMD
The government or their security services.
Would Britain reject 700 years of torture inflicted on the Irish?
I think that putting the dead on trial on behalf of the dead is not realistic.
There is enough evidence of war crimes from the 1950′s on to have thousands of British soldiers, Generals and Ministers jailed for life.
Using terror and random killings to so terrorize a population that they give up.
North Ireland, now Iraqi. The British never learned a lesson from the past.
Thosj
Yes they did, they perfected it and kept it out of the eyes of the media in Iraq.
The British army have form in this regard.
What is unusual is that it now has a court that may be able to try it.
When you consider the sheer savagery and terror and murder campaigns that were inflicted on civilian populations in the Aden, Malaysia, Kenya, Cyprus and a another dozen countries.
The western warlords will be punished, what goes up must come down.
Britain finds Britain not guilty, :0
Cool pic of William Hague in The Hague
War criminals become peace envoys who go onto speak and make millions
Its about time the ICC turned its attention to Western war criminals .
as for ” “Should we be approached by the ICC, we will take the opportunity to explain the very extensive work under way to deal with historic allegations of abuse.”
Who do they think they are fooling —-they took 40 years to admit the Bloody Sunday murders – and then offered a paltry £50,000 -. Its time Blair and others were put on trial .
What predictable rubbish comments!
Haha not guilty
Sounds familiar….Same old, same old story
I notice the british solicitor defending the Iraqi’s didn’t have any friends or family killed in the 7/7 bombings. Or and subsequent terrorist attacks.
Ye just a typical sleaze ball solicitor looking to make a quick buck.
Why should that make a difference in the professional world?
The 7/7 bombers where four British citizens, three of Pakistani origin and one of Jamaican origin while these prisoners, who where often arrested on flimsy evidence, are Iraqis, so I don’t see the connection.
And after all, if the UK didn’t do anything illegal, they should have nothing to fear, isn’t that the line they use to justify all the spying on their own people and their allies?
Exactly where did you notice that? I condemn all terrorist acts but there’s absolutely no excuse for torture.
A little bit of bullying and taking the oiss in most cases I’d imagine with the exception of a few cases. Small fry in the grand scheme of things
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