(en) WSM.ie: Homeless march on the opening of the Dail WORDS
& VIDEO: Andrew Flood
The opening of the Dail was marked by protests by organisations campaigning on housing and
homelessness and by over the top policing of them. Steel fences and dozens of Garda were
used to hem a crowd that was probably never larger than 120 into the end of Molesworth
street, presumably least any TD have to interact with them as they sought to flee the
Dail. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zlmbvOdTst8 ---- The Irish Housing Network had
earlier organised a homeless led march from the GPO to the Dail via the Boardwalk. About
50 homeless people took part in the march which peacefully passed up Kildare street and
around Merrion row to the back of the Dail. ---- Shortly after they passed that Garda
shoved people gathering for another housing protest off Kildare street and closed the
gates on the steel fence they had erected - supplied by a Denis O'Brien owned company. RTE
reported scuffles had taken place, as can be seen from our video this was in fact a large
number of Garda attacking a small group of people in order to close a gate in the steel fence.
A number of people spoke at the Dail (see other videos) as dozens of Garda watched them
over the fence.
Ahead of the protest the Irish Housing Network had said "The Government hopes to brush
this housing and homeless crisis under the carpet. We wont let them. We now have 1185
children homeless while homes lie vacant. Rents on the rise while wages are only dropping.
Eviction on the rise with nowhere for families to go. This is far past the point of crisis."
In advance of the protest we had written "You must ask yourself, why is the government
allowing this to go on? Isn't the government meant to represent the interests of the
people? The truth is, the government doesn't represents anyone, the state and the
government are the tools of the ruling elite to implement the criminal elites neo-liberal
policies and as a tools to keep the people weak and passive."
WORDS & VIDEO: Andrew Flood
http://www.wsm.ie/c/homeless-march-opening-dail-2015
