USI Free Education Protest

Tuesday November 30, 2004 22:10

by Starstruck

Same Tired Formula,breakaway group attempts Direct Action.

The Union Of Students Of Ireland National Demonstration took place today in Dublin city centre.
The protest was called to highlight and oppose the threats of fees and privatisation in education.
A crowd 400-500 students marched from the Garden of Remembrance to the Dail (Moleswoth Street that is) where the crowd congregated behind the Garda Barriers and speeches.

The annual pop concert was a reasonably sizeable one but alas the march "to the Dail" took an unplanned turn up Dawson street instead of continuing up Nassau street and filing to the Dail via Kildare street as was planned previously at several meetings.

Speeches from such inspirational figures as Ciaran Allen from the SWP,representatives from the SWSS were boomed out,followed by a comedic piece by one S.U President with pants on his head which inspired the jovial crowd into chanting "Cutbacks are pants"!

The decision to divert the march from the planned route up to Kildare street was apparently taken by the USI Leadership at a meeting with the Gardai,unbeknowns to many USI activists who had been involved in the organisation of the Demo.

A group of 30-40 students,mostly made up of UCD students decided to actually march to the Dail as was the goal stated by USI President Ben Archibald at the beginning of the march.
The group marched down Kildare street against the traffic and were confronted by a large contingent of Gardai and were forcibly pushed from the street with several Gardai using heavy handed tactics.
Several protesters,including some female activists were handled very agressively and one recieved a knee in the side from an over-eager Officer Of the Peace.
Although a small number of students managed to stage a brief sit down the action was quickly cleared up and we were soon yet again penned in behind the barriers listening to how this year was "going to be different"
Indeed the speaker at the time of the Direct Action urged others not to join in and merely added he "understood people's anger".

The USI protest was as ineffectual as all those of previous years have been.
A bunch of students,most of whom just there for a laugh,who know nothing of the serious underfunding issues throughout all levels of education and the serious hardships thousands of families face in attempting to give their children a decent education.
Not to mention the usual careerism of the leadership,in search of photo opportunities and personal publicity at the expense of the students who they received their mandate from.

The chaps were undoubtedly sitting in the Dail bar,sipping on a brandy when they noticed the usual student demo penned in on Molesworth street,ah sure you can always count on the Students,theyll sell out in a year or two..

Privatisation of our Education system looms large on the near horizon,especially when the demos to the Dail against it dont even make it to the Dail.

Your views please.