Mayday organisers reject GRA allegations

dublin | summit mobilisations | press release Wednesday April 21, 2004 15:20 by Dublin Grassroots Network

The Dublin Grassroots Network, who are organising a
weekend of events this May Day to highlight "Fortress
Europe", have sharply criticised recent statements
from Garda Representative Association (GRA) general
secretary, PJ Stone, as heightening tensions and
criminalising the right to protest.

Spokesperson Laurence Cox said, "In the light of Garda
violence at May Day 2002, the use of armed gardai at
this year's protests, already confirmed by
authorities, can only be regarded as the height of
irresponsibility. For PJ Stone to encourage his
members to treat protestors as a threat similarly
raises fears on all sides and raises the risk of a
similar loss of control, with potentially tragic
results."

Gardai have already confirmed that they will attempt
to prevent large groups of protestors gathering,
despite European and constitutional obligations to
protect freedom of assembly and expression. Recent
weeks have seen increased calls to restrict freedom of
movement for demonstrators from other EU countries.

Irish activist Jo Moffatt, who was injured by Italian
police during protests at Genoa, has strongly rejected
allegations that protestors were "responsible for
riots" in Genoa at the G8 summit in 2001. He said
yesterday, "In Genoa, police used baton-charges,
armoured cars and tear-gas to attack a quarter of a
million peaceful protestors. One demonstrator was shot
and killed, while hundreds were subsequently injured
in police custody."

The Italian legal system opened 9 separate inquiries
into the events, 8 of which focussed on police
misconduct.


For more information, including Mayday event plans,
see:
http://www.struggle.ws/eufortress