Skateboarding is not a crime!

cork | rights, freedoms and repression | news report Tuesday August 19, 2003 17:31 by Niav - none

Public Meeting this Saturday 23rd September in the Kino Cinema, Washington Street to discuss and organise a campaign to oppose the proposed By-Law Cork City Council intend on passing to ban skateboarding in Cork City.

The majority of the general public are passive users of the streets but because of the lack of public amenities in cities and towns across the country, young people are often forced to spend much of their free time creating their own entertainment and the streets often become the main location. However this leads to problems for the teenagers that congregate with their friends on the streets and in other public spaces. At different times and in different spaces particular groups are demonised as a threat to other citizens and to the moral order of the street. One particular group that suffers a certain level of repression due to their use of public space are skateboarders. It is their use of public urban space that leads to them being regarded as a nuisance and persistent harassment by security guards, gardai and irate members of the general public.

Cork City Council is proposing to introduce a by-law that will ban skateboarding in the City. Last Saturday (16th August) I attended a meeting to discuss how to oppose this by-law. A wide range of people - concerned citizens, parents, teenagers and skaters, attended the meeting. They spoke of their anger that their harmless sporting activity was facing criminalization. What was interesting was the fact that the majority of those present were under 18 and despite the level of political apathy across the country - these kids want to unite and fight for the right to skate! They are trying to organise a campaign that will fight this proposed by-law. The next meeting will take place in the Kino Cinema, Washington Street at 12 next Saturday 23rd August.

This issue is not just relevant for those that can ollie and kickflip, it's an issue for all those concerned about the eradication of public space. Why is okay for one group to congregate outside the Opera House in Cork and not another group? There is no alternative option for these skaters. There is only one public skatepark in the whole country located in Waterford. Skaters across the country, north and south, are campaigning and lobbying their local TDs and Councils to provide skateparks in their area. For more info - http://www.geocities.com/irishskateparkforum