Water charge campaigners are celebrating after chasing Irish Water out of Great Wester Square in Phibsboro this morning (12 Dec 2014). This despite Garda resuming threatening people with the 20m exclusion zone injunction.
A large gang of visibly frustrated Irish Water personnel and Garda tried to prevent campaigners from disrupting installation but failed as campaigners repeatedly jumped barriers. Two campaigners reported being assaulted by Irish Water personnel, we are currently trying to obtain more details about this incident but it would be in line with what happened yesterday in Stoneybatter, another part of Dublin 7. Irish Water were also prevented entering Stoneybatter this morning, see earlier report on this page.
Water charge campaigners are celebrating after chasing Irish Water out of Great Wester Square in Phibsboro this morning (12 Dec 2014). This despite Garda resuming threatening people with the 20m exclusion zone injunction.
A large gang of visibly frustrated Irish Water personnel and Garda tried to prevent campaigners from disrupting installation but failed as campaigners repeatedly jumped barriers. Two campaigners reported being assaulted by Irish Water personnel, we are currently trying to obtain more details about this incident but it would be in line with what happened yesterday in Stoneybatter, another part of Dublin 7. Irish Water were also prevented entering Stoneybatter this morning, see earlier report on this page.
Garda took people’s name and addresses and told them they would be taken to the High Court. As far as we are aware this is the first time this threat has been used since the build up to December 10th. It’s now clear that in advance of December 10th the order had come down to back off on protesters in the hope the lack of publicity around arrests might reduce numbers. That failed, and it appears the gloves are off once more in a resumed attempt to intimidate campaigners.
Update – account of one of those assaulted "At around 10am this morning, we were disrupting works on Upper Grangegorman when a lone worker attacked two of us with a large crowbar\iron bar with no provocation. He jabbed at our legs with the bar like it was a spear, and then tried to hit us several times more in the head\body while we wrestled with him for control of the bar. He made a threat along the lines of ‘I’ll fucking kill you’. He only stopped when another worker came and took the bar out of his hand and defused the situation. Genuinely thought I was going to get my head smashed in."
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WORDS Andrew Flood (Follow Andrew on Twitter )
Five Things You Can do to Set up Your Own Anti-Water Charges (from WSM leaflet)
1) Online Presence
A first step is to set up a local Facebook page. This can be used as a focal point for information about the group, and a way of raising awareness that the group exists. A group Twitter account is optional but not as important. Also set up a group email account.
2) Plan a Public Meeting
This could be a meeting for your street or for your estate, or a larger meeting for the wider area.
3) Find a venue.
Think of any local community centres, sports clubs, pubs, or even an outdoor space (as some people have done). Ask attendees for small donations if you need to cover the cost.
4) Speakers.
Try to get a couple of speakers to speak for a few minutes at the beginning. Organisers from other local campaigns will be happy to speak, as will trade union and political activists, and even anti water charge politicians.
5) Publicity.
The next step is advertising the meeting. This can be done several ways: leaflets and posters, door-knocking, a Facebook ad, and word of mouth.
Hand out leaflets in key areas like shopping centres, and put up posters in areas of high traffic. Ask local shops and businesses if they will display some leaflets. Knock on doors of local people to tell them about the meeting and give them a leaflet (slow but effective). Post on the Facebook page advertising the meeting, and ‘boost’ that post as an advertisement for greater visibility (costs a few quid). Tell everyone you know to spread the word about the meeting. Maybe try to get a mention in the local newspaper or radio station.