Activist Assaulted at No to Nice Meeting

national | miscellaneous | news report

Thursday August 22, 2002 17:22

by Mags

and excluded from meeting

Here is a report of what happened to me when I tried to attend a No to Nice meeting last Sunday.

Activist refused access to ‘No to Nice’ Meeting and assaulted

On Sunday 18th August I went along to a No To Nice ‘public meeting’ in the Gresham Hotel. This meeting has been widely publicised by street posters throughout Dublin. The speakers were Anthony Coughlan of the National Platform, Justin Barrett of the No to Nice Campaign and Dr Bonnici, ex-Prime Minister of Malta.

When I got to the meeting room in the Anna Livia suite the hallway was crowded with about 15-20 people, mostly Youth Defence activists, who seemed to be the organisers of the event and were running an information stall. When I got to the door Maurice Colgan (national organiser of YD) said 'this woman cannot come in' and instructed a Gresham Hotel bouncer to remove me. He did not give any reason why and I pointed out that it was advertised throughout the city as a 'public meeting'. I asked several times why I was not being allowed in, but got no answer.

The bouncer grabbed me roughly by the arm. I said that I wanted a reason for being excluded and told him to take his hands off me. This he refused to do and he dragged me away from the door. He then manhandled me over to the stairs and practically pushed me down. All of this was done at the instigation of Colgan, who gave no reason for this behaviour.

I made a verbal complaint to the management of the Gresham and they said that they would investigate what had happened but that what went on at meetings was not their business. They had obviously consulted with the YD people as the manager addressed me by my name, even though I had not given it to him. When I asked where he had got it he would not say. He would not explain to me why I had been assaulted by a staff member, with no reason given, on the instructions of a meeting organiser. I asked was it their policy to hire out thugs to all meeting organisers to assault members of the public? They would only say that they would investigate.

I have sent a formal written complaint to the Gresham about this incident and am also getting legal advice as to their right to exclude me from a 'Public Meeting' and also in relation to the assault. I have also sent a letter about the incident to Anthony Coughlan of the National Platform.

I have an interest in the anti-Nice campaign as I was a spokesperson and organiser for ‘Youth Against Maastricht’ in 1992 and also leafleted against the last Nice Referendum. With the new Referendum coming up I was interested in hearing the arguments prior to getting involved in one or other of the anti-Nice groups. I also write for a number of political magazines and thought the meeting would provide some material for features related to the referendum and the issues involved. This was why I attempted to attend the Public Meeting in the Gresham.

Mags Glennon
mags_glennon@hotmail.com

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Comments (5 of 5)

Address

Mon Aug 26, 2002 18:39

Thanks for the suggestions about SIPTU Des, could you let me have the address and/or name of the correct official to contact - you can send it to my e-mail address.

To the other Des (or maybe the same one?). It didn't occur to me to bring the matter to the Guards. Never does to be honest. Dunno what they would do in this case. Anyway I have to keep away from their notice for a while over another case.

Life gets complicated :) :(

Assault

by Des

Sat Aug 24, 2002 00:16

This might sound like a naive question Mags, but why did you not complain to the cops that you had being assaulted on the instructions of one of the youth wing of the spucers?

Write to Gresham union too

by Des Derwin

Sat Aug 24, 2002 00:00

Mags,

SIPTU organises the Gresham Hotel. Write to the Hotels Branch, Liberty Hall. The Union cannot be expected to ignore this behavior by its members, or, if the bouncers are not members, by fellow employees of a union hotel.

Thanks

Fri Aug 23, 2002 11:48

Thanks for your support. A few media people are interested, so hopefully that will expose the YD gang. I have since found out that Maurice Colgan - the National Organiser of YD - was the'Chief Steward' at the meeting. How to win friends and influence people, huh!

I'm not a spokesperson for YAM now, the group was wound up after the 1992 referendum. Way back them prehistoric days no one had their own computer so I don't have the publicity material in a form that can be posted. I could probably dig out some in hard copy and get it to you if you are really interested. Please mail me off line at the address above.

‘Youth Against Maastricht’

by youth vote

Thu Aug 22, 2002 23:34

It is simply disgraceful that a spokesperson for ‘Youth Against Maastricht’ was refused access to the meeting in the gresham hotel. I hope you had better luck at the swp meeting on Nice? or perhaps better sense and stayed away. Seriously can you post some of the ‘Youth Against Maastricht’ press releases or leaflets etc as they information would be a useful insight and backdrop to the current referendum.

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Activist Assaulted at No to Nice Meeting

Comments (5 of 5)