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