Protect the right to protest

national | summit mobilisations | press release Monday April 12, 2004 12:33 by Laurence Cox - Dublin Grassroots Network lcox at iol dot ie 087-9851029

solidarity with Dublin Grassroots Network

The May Day protests have attracted a media feeding frenzy and a series of threats of police repression. This hysteria is geared to intimidating people from joining the protest and justifying the repression of civil liberties.

We are asking people who can't come out at the weekend or don't feel safe doing so to help us out in some other way. There's a meeting this Sunday, and a list of possible actions below if you can't come to that.

If the May Day protests are criminalised this will not just affect us. It will further restrict the scope of peaceful protest within Ireland to what is acceptable to the powers that be.

*** Protect the Right to Protest ***

support Dublin Grassroots Network


Over the last few weeks tabloid scare stories about the May Day protests have gone beyond the bounds of sanity. We've been accused of having arms dumps, a secret army, and planning a bloodbath. These stories are aimed at intimidating ordinary people who might otherwise join protests.

They also justify massive repression of basic civil liberties (stories of 1000 planned arrests, temporary detention centres, preventative detention, "non-lethal weaponry", use of the army against protestors, etc.) If we are driven off the streets on May Day, all forms of democratic protest will suffer.

Our protests are peaceful and the real details are publicly announced on www.geocities.com/eufortress. Our meetings are open to all (the next one's this Sunday - see below) and are announced on www.indymedia.ie and elsewhere. We are ordinary people trying to raise serious issues about Fortress Europe, privatisation, EU militarisation and the lack of democracy in Europe. And we are being treated like terrorists.


WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT!

Please come to the next Dublin Grassroots Network meeting and lend a hand. Even if you are unable or feel too intimidated to come out on May Day, you can help us with publicity, media work, finance or legal support. Teacher's Club (36 Parnell Sq. West), Sunday April 18th, 12 - 5 (come to all or part!) If you can't make it to the meeting, there's a list of other things you can do to help below.

We are going to explain in some detail what we have planned for the various events and look for volunteers to help out on the day. So don't worry if you haven't been to any of the earlier meetings, Sunday's a good time to start!


WHAT CAN I DO?

If you can't come to that meeting but want to help out, any of the following would make a difference:

- Circulate this information to friends who might be interested;

- Print off posters or stickers from our website at www.geocities.com/eufortress and put them up;

- Take some leaflets and distribute them(phone Andrew at 087 9934150);

- Send donations to Chekov Feeney, 46 Upper Gardiner St. Dublin 1;

- Call or text into chat shows that are covering the protests and give your opinion.

It may not seem like much, but it DOES make a difference. If we are isolated on May Day, it will be easier for the media and police to criminalise peaceful protest. The more people who are involved (whether you are with us on the day or helping out), the better.

Protect the right to protest - not just for us, but for everyone!