On Tuesday last, a further 6 anti-bin tax protesters were jailed for their opposition to the bin tax and to the non-collection of tens of thousands of householders’ rubbish in the South Dublin area. Among the 6 jailed was Fionn Ryder (25 years old), Socialist Party member and a member of the branch committee of the An Post branch of the CPSU and David Murphy (20), ISR/Socialist Youth member who was this year elected as a class rep on the University College Dublin (UCD) Student Council.
Both were brought before the court just days after engaging in peaceful protest on South Dublin County Councils Bin Depot, yet several years after the Ansbacher scam, not one of those involved in the evasion of an estimated €1 billion has darkened the doorway of a court room never mind a prison cell.
Both Fionn and David were sentenced to 3 weeks in prison and fines of €1,500 each for refusing to give an undertaking to stop protesting. Fionn and David were separated from the other 4 prisoners and are being held in the general wing of the notorious Victorian Mountjoy prison. (Joe Higgins TD was held in the more modern, laid back Training Unit). The comrades have received no special attention (like what was afforded to disgraced former Fianna Fail TD, Liam Lawlor who was let hold on to his mobile!!!) and are only allowed one, one hour visit per week.
We are urgently asking all sections, branches and as many individual members of ISR and the CWI to send messages of support to both Fionn and Dave as soon as possible to keep their morale up. Email messages of support to:
Also, you can send letters of protest to the minister of Justice at:
Minister of Justice
Michael MacDowell, T.D.
Dail Eireann
Leinster House
Kildare St.
Dublin 1
Ireland
or email him at
Matt Waine Socialist Youth, Ireland
Be the first to comment