Something for the Weekend - Anti War Events - First Indymedia Mayday Video Screening

by MEDIA SCREENING Thu Jun 17, 2004 02:57

MAYDAY 04 Video Reflections

VIDEO SCREENING 19th June

Mayday videos

7:30pm Sat 19th

Mayday RTS

RECLAIM THE MEDIA

by dot..dot Thu Jun 17, 2004 03:16

Are Michael McDowells eyebrows and the wombles going to be making an appearance?

by Catholic Worker - Dublin Catholic Worker & Pitstop Ploughshares Thu Jun 17, 2004 07:46

Sounds great "Act-Reflect-Act Again!" or as beckett wrote to Havel "Try-Fail-Try Again-Fail Better!"

Definitel wanting to buy the cd, but stuck at work tonight. Hope the masses roll up tonight so you are rolling again for the Shannon Bush Visit!

by Media Watch Thu Jun 17, 2004 17:19

The Irish Independent
17th June 2004
Page: News 12
By: Tim Healy

Headline: May Day Protestor avoids record after clash with gardai

‘The first person to be convicted in connection with the May Day anti-globalisation protest in Dublin was left without a criminal record after agreeing to pay 250 to charity.

David Irwin (21), a student from Ballymackeghg, Killeagh, Cork, pleaded guilty to breach of the peace and failing to obey a garda direction to leave the Navan Road.

Garda Anthony O’Connor, Newtownmountkennedy Station, told Dublin District Court that Mr Irwin was among a group of protestors who confronted gardai at the Ashtown Gate late in the evening of May 1.

The were given a general direction by a garda superintendent to leave the area under Section 8 of the Criminal Justice (Public Order) Act. The group were very abusive and refused to leave.

The court heard he was a student who had taken a year out but was hoping to go on to become a teacher. His solicitor asked that because of this he be left without a conviction.

Judge Geoffrey Browne imposed Section 1.1. of the Probation Of Offenders Act, leaving him with a clean record, on condition that he pay 250 to charity.

Judge Browne put back for hearing or for mention the cases of 10 other people charged with public order offences arising out of the same protest’.

The Star
Page 6

Headline: Fine for protest

The first person to be convicted in connection with the May Day anti-globalisation protest in Dublin was left without a criminal record after agreeing to pay 250 to charity.

David Irwin (21) a student from Ballymackegh, Killeagh, Cork, pleaded guilty to breech of the peace and failing to obey a garda direction to leave the Navan Road during the protest.

by Phuq Hedd Thu Jun 17, 2004 19:48

such as the judge (Browne) seemed to accept that Irwin had been arrested not because of any _specific_ wrongdoing on his part, but because the Public Order Act had been invoked. The judge specifically made a statement along the lines of "you can't blame the garda for doing his job, it's not his fault if it's a messed up world".

Why did you leave out that section of the report? In many ways it's the most interesting both because of the illustration of the wide-ranging and indiscriminate nature of the Public Order Act and also because the judge seemed to accept that the charge was purely _pro forma_ and unfair.

(Also how is it that Father Peter McVerry (anti-abortion extremist extraordinaire) is deemed a worthy recipient of monies from the public purse?).

by Terry - Galway Grassroots Thu Jun 17, 2004 21:06

Also on June 19th anti-war demonstrations in Galway, Limerick, Kildare Town and I think Tralee.

by Media Watch Thu Jun 17, 2004 22:45

The Mayday articule that appeared in The Irish Independent today (Metro Edition 17.06.04) is exactly as typed above. NOTHING has been left out.

Perhaps you are referring to another news articule or different edition?

by A.N.Editor Fri Jun 18, 2004 00:27

The box is a list of all anti-war events in the event list, Terry. I'll try and update if events come in- publishing an event if you have one and using the contact form is the best way to add to this.

Phuq Hedd - can you post the court transcripts please, you nice woman you. You seem to have better media access.

by Phuq Hedd Fri Jun 18, 2004 01:03

May Day protester escapes criminal record

THE FIRST person to be convicted in connection with the May Day anti-globalisation protest in Dublin was left without a criminal record after agreeing to pay €250 to charity.

David Irwin (21), a student from Ballymackegh, Killeagh, Cork, pleaded guilty to breach of the peace and failing to obey a garda direction to leave the Navan Road.

Garda Anthony O'Connor, Newtownmountkennedy Station, told Dublin District Court that Mr Irwin was among a group of protesters who confronted gardai at the Ashtown Gate late in the evening of May 1 last.

They were given a general direction by a garda superintendent to leave the area under Section 8 of the Criminal Justice (Public Order) Act. The group were very abusive and refused to leave.

Mr Irwin was arrested and was co-operative once in garda custody. His solicitor said he had come up for the day with a group of friends, more to observe the protest than participate.

"Friends of his were involved and he followed them and just got caught up. His did not take the opportunity to move on when he should have."

The court heard he was a student who had taken a year out but was hoping to go on to become a teacher. His solicitor asked that because of this he be left without a conviction.

Judge Geoffrey Browne told him it was "not the garda's fault that the world is messed up. He should have walked away when he was asked".

He imposed Section 1.1 of the Probation of Offenders Act, leaving him with a clean record, on condition that he pay €250 to the Fr Peter McVerry charity for homeless boys.

Judge Browne put back for hearing or for mention the cases of 10 other people charged with public order offences arising out of the same protest.

Five will be in a position to enter pleas in September or October once their lawyers have had a chance to examine evidence, including any video footage, which the prosecution has.

Judge Browne ordered that the evidence be given to defence lawyers by November 1.

Tim Healy

by . Fri Jun 18, 2004 02:01

.

by Acid Fri Jun 18, 2004 22:31

Very impressive!

by Video Viewer Sat Jun 19, 2004 23:27

Just back from the MayDay Video screenings at the IFI. Some brillant videos and promo trailers. Good turnout and vibe. Also some cool mayday photo prints for sale too.

Make sure you get a copy of the MayDay CDROM Video! Well worth watching.

by R. Isible Sun Jun 20, 2004 00:06

Any chance of a longer review? Tell us a bit about the scene at the showing etc?

by clockwork fan Sun Jun 20, 2004 13:35

how much is 250€ in real terms?
is it less than a month's student grant?
is it more than a weeks mcjob wages?
I hear terrible rumours it would only buy you less than 50 packets of cigs.
is it true?

by sherlock holmes Sun Jun 20, 2004 19:57

So whose fault is it then ?
And shouldn't the gardai be out investigating it ... trying to track down those responsible .....
and bring them to justice ....

The honourable judge's glib remark raises more questions than it answers and cannot be left unchallenged .....

The judge has accepted that the world is "messed up" ... if (assuming rather naively that the legal system wants to maintain any shred of credibility in the public eye) then it cannot just shrug its shoulders and say "somebody else's problem - we just do law and order stuff" ......

BECAUSE IF YOU DO MY LEARNED WIGGED AND GOWNED FRIENDS, DON'T BE TOO SURPRISED IF THE SWINISH MULTITUDE RISE UP AND SWEEP YOU AWAY .....

REMEMBER THAT THE LOGICAL CONSEQUENCE OF YOUR SHOULDER-SHRUGGING ("somebody else's problem - we just do law and order stuff") IS THAT YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR OR AT LEAST COMPLICIT IN MAINTAINING THE UNJUST ORDER OF THE WORLD WHICH YOU YOURSELVES HAVE RECOGNISED TO BE "MESSED UP" ........

THINK ABOUT IT BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE ... AND YOUR WIGS END UP ON A BONFIRE .......

by dunk Thu Jul 15, 2004 15:00

couldnt make the event
lads, both indymedia and others

this is exactly the point reinforced

this event was on
no one commented about it, how many there, how did it pan out
any pix

we could do more to help ourselves
r.isible already made the request, i make it again

be the media
tell us what happened

im bringing stuff down to galway arts festival this weekend, might try to put on screening

by paul c Thu Jul 15, 2004 17:39

im not sure what more could have been said about it, the point of the event was to go... and see the films

it was a good night

im sure im put up a little comment somewhere...