McDowell surrounded in UCD
dublin |
racism & migration related issues |
news report 
Thursday February 09, 2006 21:24
by Starstruck - Grassroots Dissent
Minister for injustice attending talk,Anti-Deportation protesters in attendance outside..
As I write,the protest called by the UCD AntiDeportation Campaign and RAR is ongoing in UCD,the talk being held in O'Reilly Hall.
McDowell managed to get inside through a concealed entrance but the protesters have encircled the building to ensure he does not have such an easy escape.
McDowell is attending a legal talk and is the guest of dishonour.
Attempts were made to gain access to the talk to disrupt it but as of yet have been unsuccessful.
More to follow as story breaks..
Comments (23 of 23)
Jump To Comment: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23Why wasnt this advertised before? I left UCD today and was wondering what all the Gards were doing around the place.
Yeah I saw them hanging around also.
Couldnt make it to the action but heard about it,I think it only emerged that McDowell was coming out a day or two ago,and that there wasnt enough time for a big mobilisation...
plus of course the element of surprise..
dunno
The SU hacks that call themselves "lefts" did all they could to limit the protest and they have one eye on the elections to the full-time positions in a few weeks. Most students don't give a shite about the elections and would be more concerned about deportations and real issues. But of course Hayden (Welfare officer & pres. candidate) and Curran (Deputy prs. going for re-election, Labour) are more concerned about not frightening away right-wing voters. Hayden and Curran also don't want to have protests at time of elections. This is despite a strong mood among staff and students for action against Hugh Brady's 'reforms'. Enda Duffy (pres. canidate, Labour) ain't much better. He refuses to criticise them for this conservatism. Hacks all. Vote Re Open Nominations #1.
i wasnt able to get to the protest myself due to other committments.
i dont think anyone tried to limit the size of this demo, what was required was to ensure that the cops were unaware of it. when they knew a demo was planned for bertie the cops were out in greater force last week.
i was asked by ucdsu activists to circulate the info on lists but not to put it on indymedia.
Yes yes, Protester, OF COURSE Enda Duffy refuses to criticise Dan Hayden and Dave Curran, as you can see all thru the year, he has never said anything critical about the SU ever ... honestly Oisin when are you going to grow up? Are you always going to come out with this rubbish everytime you get a chance?
i doubt if "protestor" is OK. it was an SP member who asked me to publicise the protest on lists but to keep it off indymedia.
why keep it off indy?
i want to know when to protest.
NO DEPORTATIONS.
as i wrote above:
i dont think anyone tried to limit the size of this demo, what was required was to ensure that the cops were unaware of it. when they knew a demo was planned for bertie the cops were out in greater force last week.
"Attempts were made to gain access to the talk to disrupt it"
This is a line from the news article above. I would just like to know that if the rar believe in a peaceful protest, then why were they involved in disturbances yesterday? What is their alternative? Let everyone in?? Have no immigration system in place whatsoever?
"Most students don't give a shite about the elections and would be more concerned about deportations and real issues".
Very eloquent indeed! I can't envisage students giving up their lectures and their study time just to entertain Mr McDowell with the usual "stop deportations" stuff. Most students in College nowadays are more concerned about going out at Night or into Cars and that kind of stuff. Sure there are Students who are into demonstrations too, but I realistically doubt that "most" of them would. If someone could back this statement (above) up, then I'd be less doubtful then I was reading it !
I was at the protest and McDowell escaped through the back door and we will ensure he is voted out and becomes relagated to the background in this country.
Hi Student,
As a student myself I have to say, most of us care about getting our qualifications, paying off our debts etc, rather than issues such as deportations. Personally, I believe he is a good minister.
"we will ensure he is voted out"
Very political indeed!
I'm confused.
Isnt' the Minister for Justice, always going to have a Garda presence?
After all, he has to deal with terrorists, criminals not to mention Sin Fein. RAR are surely flattering themselves by thinking they pose a greater threat, unless that is, they actually do.
As RAR continuosly post here, may I ask them a fair question based on the above; what would they actually do if they could approach the Minister face to face?
Ger we have approached mcdowell face to face on numerous occasions. Why we went out to UCD was to protest against deportations and state racism and also show a presence and what would be the point in meeting with a racist it would achieve nothing.
Are you implying RAR are trying to be terrorists we do not threat or pose a threat
"After he has to deal with terrorists, criminals not to mention Sin Fein. RAR are surely flattering themselves by thinking they pose a greater threat, unless that is, they actually do."
you are being ridiculous I think Michael McDowell poses a bigger threat than bloody Sinn Fein, RAR are a non violient organisation and we do not advocate it. What we do advocate is an open border policy and no deportations under any circumstances.
"What we do advocate is an open border policy and no deportations under any circumstances"
Talk about a really dammed up policy. That is never ever going to happen and the Irish people would never support that kind of policy anytime. There has to be an immigration system to deter economic migrants.
"Why we went out to UCD was to protest against deportations and state racism"
Why is an immigration system 'racism'? Just explain to me why letting everyone in would be such a logical alternative in the RAR's eyes??
Emma, I assure you, I do not believe that RAR are a terrorist organisation. I was merely pondering the previous posts that suggest a policy of evading Gardai detection of protests in advance. I am still curious as to what RAR would do if no Gardai were there. You haven't answered that.
You say that RAR advocate an open border policy and no deportations under any circumstances.
It doesn't say that on the RAR website.
And anyway, why hound McDowell with this if you know that he could never deliver such a state of affairs.
A policy such as you suggest, at the moment, is not just reckless and idiotic, it is also illegal unless we scrap immigration laws.
I would suggest RAR run for office as a far more realistic option. If only for a reality check.
Emma,
With the greatest of respect, you are deluding yourself if you think that the majority of Irish people will scrap our current immigration policies. "No deportations under any circumstances", only rar, labour youth, sinn fein and a few other fools would vote for that, hell would freeze over before the general public would commit us to a policy like that. The current public opinion is that we should strengthen our laws - not abolish them. No anarchists are going to tell the public what to do - this is a democracy!
RAR... Non-violent? Protests last year in UCD with Justin Barrett? Absolutely not sticking up for that fascist but to call your membership non-violent is misleading, don't you think?
First Peter-
Why does there have to be an immigration system to deter economic migrants?. It is inhumane to deport someone to a country where they are facing persecution and FGM. You talk about about Irish people not supporting such a policy, Irish people do have a say in how the immigration system is run or for the matter how in which way we determine how to live, this is not a democracy.
Ger-
Evading Garda detection? Are you serious?. Any government minister at a function has a garda presence so why are you asking? Again we do not act in a volatile manner and there has never not been a Garda presence at a demonstration weither it is anti racism or any form of protest.
The public need to know how asylum seekers are being treated and we do have a right tp protest or
would you like another of our civil rights be taken away?
Kevin-
Kevin you are deluding yourself to think this is a democracy. You are not making sense Anarchists do not tell the public what to do, unlike your so called democracy Anarchism is voluntary not enforced. Governments create borders and racism and until central government and capitalism ends there wont be a siginificant change.
Jack Jack-
Where you there at UCD? Do you know what happened? no member of RAR approached Justin Barrett, racists are one thing but there should be no platform for facists under any circumstances personally I am a pacifist and dont condone beating up anyone.
Gay Geori-
We are still supporting Kunle and helping him out with his case, who said we are not?
Kevin-
You not gone away yet?
Kunle is not a criminal, do you believe everything you read in the indo?. I would hardly call FM 104 or 98 FM the most accurate of radio shows. Kunle has plenty of public support behind him and the case is not over yet.
link to Anarchism and anti racism
http://struggle.ws/wsm/ws/2004/80/immigration.html
(Evading Garda detection? Are you serious?. Any government minister at a function has a garda presence so why are you asking? )
I was referring to a posting made by "pat c" on this thread. Please read the thread before posting replies that are irrelevant.
(Again we do not act in a volatile manner)
According to the February edition of Metro Eireann, the launch of their "Metro 2006" magazine was marred by what they called an anti-social element. That anti-social element was RAR. Apparently, a failed asylum seeker looking to make a case to the Minister was drowned out by your lot to the fury of a number of people concerend.
When you are being openly castigated by those very people you have self-appointed yourselves to "represent", you should start asking yourself a number of searching questions.
Incidentally, were you also posting in a personal capacity when you posted the following:
"What we do advocate is an open border policy and no deportations under any circumstances"
Or is this the royal "we"?
"According to the February edition of Metro Eireann, the launch of their "Metro 2006" magazine was marred by what they called an anti-social element. That anti-social element was RAR. Apparently, a failed asylum seeker looking to make a case to the Minister was drowned out by your lot to the fury of a number of people concerend."
Ger I can say RAR were not the anti social element at that launch on that paticular day. We would not deter someone who wanted to make there case to McDowell, although it wouldn't achieve much.
"When you are being openly castigated by those very people you have self-appointed yourselves to "represent", you should start asking yourself a number of searching questions."
Are you that ignorant to think that the only members of RAR are Irish or not asylum seekers when more than of half members are asylum seekers and not Irish.
There is no point even even replying to these posts.
The following is a line from this news article: Attempts were made to gain access to the talk to disrupt it but as of yet have been unsuccessful.
Is this what the R.A.R are all about?
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