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Joe Carolan (SWP/GR) appoints himself as RTS spokeperson national |
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news report
 Wednesday May 08, 2002 08:08 by Myles
 Excerpt from today's "Irish Times" online Reclaim the Streets (RTS), the global network of groups behind Monday's anti-capitalist protest in Dublin city-centre, describes itself as a "non-hierarchial, leaderless, openly-organised public group". Speaking at a press conference yesterday, Mr Joe Carolan, who participated in the demonstration, said that the group was in favour of returning privatised space to the public arena. "On Monday we took back one street for one afternoon to help us imagine what the city without cars could be like. We brought actors, acrobats, performers, musicians, dancers, body-painters and children to create a community space where normally there are cars and trucks belching out pollution," he said. "No individual plans or masterminds the group's actions and events," he continued. "RTS activities are the result of voluntary unpaid co-operative efforts from numerous self-directed people attempting to work equally together. When asked 'Who's in charge?', we reply in unison: 'We all are'." |
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Comments (9 of 9)
Jump To Comment: 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1People throughout the newswire are calling for this protest to be cancelled, to cancel the protest is to admit defeat, to admit that the police own this city, as the site intro for RTS said 'to change the city we MUST control the streets'.
There is only one way to defend civil liberties and thats by using them, we were faced with a situation on Monday where the police without provocation attacked a peaceful protest, if we all decide to sit at home and write letters to our TDs (as someone has suggested) then the only change you'll see is a TDs bin full of ripped up letters, to change anything in this country you have to take to the street. the only way thursday will turn violent is if the police attack us again. Do you think they'll do that with tyhe media watching them? I see no reason why not, they do it all over the world...fuck they even did it here on saturday. But thats a chance you're going to have to take if you cherish youre civil liberties as limited as they are under this system.
The post from 'Paul' describing the Gardaí as pigs gives you a fair idea of what to expect from the SWP/GR on Thursday. It also gives you a picture of the high intellectual calibre of their members
listen do you think that if the GSF had not made the call for italiens to stop doing what they planned to on saturday but to go to Genoa instead afetr the cops shot and battered us do you think Genoa would of been a success. Getting 300000 out on the streets put the fear of god into them. WE must not be intimidated. The irish left has seen this before and we will see it again. But we must not let the pigs off. Good one joe Keep up the pressure
I think we should definitely protest on Thursday. To mount a protest is a justified response to the brutality and viciousness seen on Monday evening. GR should have an open platform at the protest; let everybody have their say, not just the great and the good of the swp. The momentum must be kept up, and groups like GR are pushing in the right direction.
There's no need to be so god-damn nasty about the whole thing. Mr. Sweetman is trying to keep the peaceand in doing so he's getting advice from legal professionals. He is looking out for all of us who took part on Monday. I've heard him on the radio and I acknowledge his efforts for tring to get some justice.
As for Thursday's protest about the abuse of our civil liberties: I think it's going to lead to more conflict. I also have a suspicion, like others, that GR are using it to reel in some members. They are taking thhe madness of Monday as another excuse to think up a scheme to 'take down the state'. Whatever........
Its obvious that the protest will be a mistake. Tempers will run high, it will be politicised, vandalism will occur, and the Gardaí will be able to say to the media "See, look what we were dealing with!". Dont hand the Gardaí a shovel o dig themselves out with. The media is already puttin enough pressure on them. Stories on radio 1 this morning of people being drivin away ffrom pearce St. Station with batons for tryin to file complaints. The Gardaí are in trouble, use public voice to get the majority on our side. A protest outside the station would be spoiled by some elements. Instead, put pressure on the minister for Justice, and those injured, sue. Prolonged peaceful pressure will result in the best action. A demonstration kidnapped by the SWP will not.
Peter, you media whore, everyone who is angry at the state repression of a peaceful protest should be allowed attend the protest on Thursday. Who gives a flying fuck what you and your barrister friends think?
The media about Monday has taken in the fact that RTS does not have leaders. It is essential that we keep this up. Nobody with affiliation to any political party should be a spokesperson for RTS. It is the opinion of the barristers working with me that nobody who was arrested or asssaulted should be at the protest on Thursday.
The protest is a mistake.
Most of what Joe is quoted as saying sounds very like an RTS press release which is on the newswire. The quote may have been misattributed.
On the other hand maybe he said it, in which case at least he described the whole thing pretty accurately.
Defending the SWP twice in one morning? I think I'll go have a glass of water and a nice long sit down.