Violence And The Jobstown Anti-Water Charges Protest.

national | bin tax / household tax / water tax | opinion/analysis Monday November 17, 2014 11:37 by anon paraickhackett at gmail dot com

Should this violence be criticised?

It is clear that the governments is seeking to split the anti-water charges campaign by modifying the water charges and publicly attacking any violence surrounding the protests.

Courtsey of WSM

A public attack has been mounted by figures from the government parties against the Socialist Party because of the violence surrounding the protest against water charges in Tallaght.These figures, including Joan Burton, claim that the protest had a violent nature and that Joan Burton was subjected to a physical attack and intimidation by the protesters. The SP claims that generally the protest was peaceful and that a few non-protesters were responsible for the violence. It declares that it is against the use of violence such as water bombs being lobbed at government figures.

The Socialist Party exposes its true colours by attacking the use of such violence against government figures. The point is that such attacks should not be criticised by those that defend the interests of the working class. The violence manifesting itself last Saturday is a product of the oppression of the people of Jobstown by capitalism under the political leadership of the current government. It is this government and the system it represents that was the cause of the violence. The violence is a product of the anger generated by the oppression and alienation of the people of Tallaght. There have been cutbacks in benefits, enormous unemployment and low wages, among other things, inflicted on it by the present government. If no water charges were being imposed there would have been no protest and thereby no violence.

It is this that the Socialist Party should be pointing out instead of abjectely opposing the violence that took place. Why should a party that claims to support the interests of the "the ordinary people" express its opposition to attacks on government figures such as Burton and Kenny? It is not the job of communists to protect government figures.

It is clear that the governments is seeking to split the anti-water charges campaign by modifying the water charges and publicly attacking any violence surrounding the protests.