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Major Libel Victory for Former Youth Defence Leader

category national | rights, freedoms and repression | news report author Monday April 23, 2007 09:24author by Al Wright Report this post to the editors

Independent apologise for libel to Niamh Uí Bhriain

Niamh Uí Bhriain, formerly chairwoman of Youth Defence, wins major libel victory against the Independent. The paper printed an apology for articles written in 1997 which defamed the ro-life leader. It took nine years for the matter to come to court as the Independent opposed a hearing at every turn.

Independent Newspapers have agreed to read an apology to leading pro-life activist, Niamh Uí Bhriain (nee Nic Mhathúna) in open court following a nine-year libel battle against the newspaper group, which has finally been settled. In what has been called a ‘major victory for pro-life activism and for free speech’ the Irish Independent also agreed to a printed apology.

In the printed apology, which appeared on page 3 of the Irish Independent on April 14th the Independent acknowledged that suggestions that the then Niamh Nic Mhathúna had been involved in violent activities were untrue, and admitted that she is ‘a person of the highest integrity’. The offending articles were written in 1997 when the pro-life leader was spokeswoman for Ireland’s largest and most visible pro-life group, Youth Defence. The apology wil be read in open court on May 1st.

Mrs Uí Bhriain is reported in the Irish Family Press as being ‘absolutely delighted’ with the outcome. ‘It’s been a long battle and, at times, a difficult one’, she said, ‘but we were sure from the outset that the truth would prevail. This is a victory for everyone who fights for unborn babies and their mothers.’

She thanked her legal team and her ‘wonderful family’ who had made the outcome possible. ‘I’d also like to share this victory with the entire pro-life community who have stood by me and supported me in this case for such a long period of time. The support I received was really extraordinary’, she said.

Mrs Uí Bhriain, who is expecting her third baby shortly, added that: ‘The media in this country have gone to extraordinary lengths to demonise and attack pro-lifers. Now the work done by Youth Defence and Mother and Child Campaign to protect mothers and babies has been vindicated yet again.’ She said that no-one should be intimidated by the wealth and resources of giant media groups, and that no newspaper or journalist had the right to defame individuals or to tell lies about those who worked to protect helpless children from the abortion industry. ‘Sometimes the sheer vindictiveness of what’s written to deter and intimidate pro-life activists is startling’, added Mrs Uí Bhriain, ‘Pro-life people are wrongly accused, defamed and attacked all the time. What was written about me was entirely untrue, and a slur on my character and good name. It needed to be challenged.’

Congratulations and good wishes have poured in for Niamh Uí Bhriain who says she is planning ‘a big celebration for everyone after the new baby is born.’

author by Amypublication date Mon Apr 23, 2007 09:49author address author phone Report this post to the editors

This is brilliant! Smash the stinking capitalist independent newspapers and their big cat boss Tony O''Reilly. Fair play to Ui Bhriain for taking on one of the biggest newspaper companies in the world and winning!! Those YD guys have guts

author by Rachelpublication date Mon Apr 23, 2007 10:25author address author phone Report this post to the editors

Fair play to Ui Bhriain and co, these media reports are always being cited and bandied about when people start talking about youth defence and now they've been proven to be nonsense, guess people will have to be very careful about what they say in future....again fair play for tackling these allegations head on, nice to see justice being done.

author by go for itpublication date Mon Apr 23, 2007 11:05author address author phone Report this post to the editors

fantastic news, a great victory, I hope everybody else is as sick of the media's distorted views on pro life as I am...

author by Jackpublication date Mon Apr 23, 2007 11:23author address author phone Report this post to the editors

Well done Niamh.
Your determination and sense of justice are a credit to yourself and to your family.

Take that Sir Tony! (I cleaned this up - a lot).

author by Tommy Sheridan supporterpublication date Mon Apr 23, 2007 11:32author address author phone Report this post to the editors

All defeats of the capitalist press is a victory for socialism.

author by Pro-choicepublication date Mon Apr 23, 2007 11:56author address author phone Report this post to the editors

Independent newspapers were found to have printed unfounded allegations and I welcome a libel victory by any group or individual no matter how much I disagree with their views if those allegations are unfounded.

However that does not change the fundemental irrationality of Youth Defence and the pro-life movement in general.

As I understand it the pro-life movements and organisations are opposed to abortion in all circumstances.

Let me develop their logic a bit further.

Abortion would have to be probited in all of these following circumstances I will describe below:

(I believe these example cover practically every possible circumstance but please correct me if I'm wrong)

(1)If the pregnancy is a result of rape or sexual abuse against a minor or an adult woman by a person who is not a relation.
(2)If the pregancy is the result of incestous rape against a minor or an adult woman against her will.
(3)If the pregnancy is the result of incest in which the adult woman is a willing participant.
(4) If the woman is in mortal danger from medical complications.
(5) If the woman is unable to care for the child for psychological reasons, monetary problems or cannot go ahead with pregnancy because of social stigma or other reasons(she is embarrassed at being called a slut, she has had an affair with an another man and doesn't want her current relationship to suffer, she wants to pursue her career, she feels she is too young and wants her freedom etc etc etc.)

If abortion is indeed murder then if a woman has an abortion for any of these reasons she, her doctor and any other person who was an accomplice (her boyfriend, partner, husband, a girl friend, her mother or father, a work mate etc etc) is guilty of murder and deserves a life sentence.

Abortion doctors are responsible therefore for mass murder - thousands of abortions are thousands of murders - of innocent children.

If abortion is murder in this jurisdiction it means that if you want to have an abortion you would need to go aboard - Irish mothers presumeably would go to England.

To prevent thousands of Irish babies from being slaughtered in England then harsh measures would need to be enacted - the state would have to prosecute mothers for abortions - "murders" - committed in other jurisdictions to be of any effect in reducing the levels of aborted pregnancies in Ireland overall and there accomplacies who helped them (provided money or information or other assistance) would also have to be prosecuted.

Ireland would also seek the extradition of abortion doctors - "mass murderers of Irish babies" - to Ireland to face prosecution for their crimes.

to implement such a policy huge prisons would have to be built to house thousands of mothers every year and thousands upon thousands of their accomplaces.

Why not have a retrospective abortion law?
What about all the mothers who had abortions for decades before?
Surely they are murderers too?

To enforce these laws properly would require a police and military state and perhaps civil war.

So do we really want that?

That is why I am pro-choice and not pro-life.

author by Wuzzypublication date Mon Apr 23, 2007 12:59author address author phone Report this post to the editors

Hmmm. Funnily enough, I don't think everyone is going to be won over to the view that Youth Defence are a nice, tolerant group who only use legimitimate methods of protest to make their case. People have long memories. Whether or not the Independent was able to prove that this women was herself involved in violence, there's a lot of people out there with practical experience of YD's methods, and you'll have trouble convincing them that they imagined what happened to them in the early 90s.

author by Me againpublication date Mon Apr 23, 2007 13:52author address author phone Report this post to the editors

Wuzzy - make your point.

YD were subject to police beating, strip searches and false arrest by the same people
who now police Erris.
Their crime - leafletting on Grafton St.
They must have been doing something right.
No, I am not, nor have I ever been, a member of YD.

author by Amypublication date Mon Apr 23, 2007 14:00author address author phone Report this post to the editors

To wuzzy (wuzzy thinking and memory)

If this woman was involved in violence the Independent could have proved it - they dragged out the case for 10 years trying every dirty trick in the book to wear Ui bhriain down. And they have money to burn to hire the best legal team, private detectives etc etc.. Just face the facts - that there is no violent activity. you are just believing your own propaganda

author by Wuzzypublication date Mon Apr 23, 2007 14:43author address author phone Report this post to the editors

No, I'm believing the testimony of people I know who have first-hand experience of the methods of Youth Defence in dealing with people who disagree with their agenda. I don't think they were all hallucinating. Nice try though.

author by Jackpublication date Mon Apr 23, 2007 15:32author address author phone Report this post to the editors

Sorry Wuzzy but you haven't a hope of winning this one.
Anybody who thought they had anything on Niamh had their chance. Now you're reduced to baseless
allegation, hearsay, rumour, "dúirt sí liom go ndúirt bean leí", etc.
Pathetic!

author by Wuzzypublication date Mon Apr 23, 2007 15:42author address author phone Report this post to the editors

I'm not talking about one individual. I'm talking about the group as a whole. She may or may not have been involved in the behaviour of YD in the early 90s - the Independent obviously weren't able to prove that she was. But YD members certainly were, and there's many people around who can testify to that. You can issue all the shrill denials you like, but it's not going to work. People tend to remember whether or not they were assaulted. It's the sort of thing that sticks in the memory.

author by evapublication date Mon Apr 23, 2007 16:05author address author phone Report this post to the editors

Maybe Wuzzy should get a job in the Indo, write an article under his real name making all these allegations, and then Niamh o Briain can win another libel case.

Sounds good to me.

Great victory for this woman and for Youth Defence. There aren't many who'll take on the papers like that.

author by Wuzzypublication date Mon Apr 23, 2007 16:10author address author phone Report this post to the editors

No, I've no interest in working for the Independent. All the YD enthusiasts here are trying to divert the argument into one question "was Niamh O'B involved in violence or not". As I've said several times now, she may have had nothing to do with violence herself, but there's plenty of folk around who were assaulted by members of YD in the 90s, and I'm sure they'd be happy to testify to that. I'm sure you'd all love to be able to brush the facts under the carpet and establish a fairy-tale picture of Youth Defence as a nice, tolerant, peaceful group of law-abiding citizens, but you won't be able to convince the people who know otherwise that they were hallucinating when they experienced the ugly face of YD.

author by Jackpublication date Mon Apr 23, 2007 16:29author address author phone Report this post to the editors

That's it wuzzy - keep digging.
Who are all these people?
Have they no voice of their own?
With all the forces of the state and media ranged agaist YD - not a shred of evidence.
How many of use could survive such scrutiny - YD did and continue to do so.
The facts speak for themselves.

author by Emmapublication date Mon Apr 23, 2007 16:32author address author phone Report this post to the editors

Well done Niamh. That is great news and fair play to Indymedia for giving it webspace. The Independent Group defame anyone with a different agenda - great victory for free speech.

author by Rachelpublication date Mon Apr 23, 2007 16:47author address author phone Report this post to the editors

Wuzzy - if yd are the violent, abusive group that you claim and have attacked so many of your friends, how many criminal convictions have they got? the fact is yd have never been convicted of any kind of criminal behaviour, violent or otherwise, they are peaceful protestors so why dont you just admit that your main problem with them is their agenda,
at the end of the day nobody (neither the indo nor you) is able to prove that yd are the raging aggressors that media and indymedia circles would like to paint them to be, because its all foundationless innuendo and untrue. why dont you learn a lesson from the indo's experience and desist with the nonsense, you're only making a joke of yourself

author by history trainpublication date Mon Apr 23, 2007 16:55author address author phone Report this post to the editors

I seem to remember a number of members of Youth Defence being charged with assaulting a Garda in about 1998 or 99. Am I misremembering this?

Was there not also a nasty scuffle outside a pub in (I think) Thomas Street, where Youth Defence members and their friends tried to break up a picket with snooker cues?

author by Emmapublication date Mon Apr 23, 2007 17:15author address author phone Report this post to the editors

Wuzzy et al - what a very bad case of sour grapes.

I think Youth Defence will be celebrating this victory for a while yet. Hope they win against the Tribune too.

author by Star trekpublication date Mon Apr 23, 2007 17:19author address author phone Report this post to the editors

Gardaí give evidence against Youth Defence members
watch

RTÉ NEWS Thursday, 8 April 1999

Members of the Garda Síochána said that they were punched, kicked and head-butted during an anti-abortion demonstration last May. They were giving evidence at the trial of 10 members or associates of Youth Defence, who were charged with a range of offences including assault and disorderly behaviour.

What happened outside the Adelaide Hospital on May 16 last year was described in court as a mini-riot. Hospital staff said the Youth Defence protest had started peacefully, but the group then became intimidating. 10 people who took part in the demonstration have been charged with a range of offences, including obstruction and common assault.

On the second day of the trial, Garda Christopher Burdock gave evidence of being called to the scene, where what he described as a mob of between 60 and 80 people were protesting noisily. Garda William O'Dwyer said that during the ensuing fracas he was surrounded by 6 or 7 people. He said he was hit, head-butted and grabbed around the neck from behind until he thought he was choking. Other Gardaí gave evidence that they were kicked and hit on the head with placards.

author by Rachelpublication date Mon Apr 23, 2007 17:32author address author phone Report this post to the editors

you can cite all the media reports you like wuzzy (niamhs victory puts them all in disrepute if you ask me) . no convictions came from that case, yd were cleared, and yeah of course the gardai have never been guilty of instigating trouble (MAy day a couple of years ago???) . being accused is a far cry from being found guilty of anything, or do you not accept that premise wuzzy?

author by Jackpublication date Mon Apr 23, 2007 17:35author address author phone Report this post to the editors

Star Trek
Since you got this much can we have the rest of the story please?
"10 members or associates of Youth Defence" - which is it? We all know what associates can mean.
Any convictions - or just more allegations from that bastion of truth the GS.

Stop wasting our time with allegations.

author by Arthur the invinciblepublication date Mon Apr 23, 2007 17:35author address author phone Report this post to the editors

As far as I know all these charges were squashed or overturned. I seem to remember the Judge criticising the Gardai for lying. A precursor to Morrris I suppose.

The same Gardai are probably charging Shell to Sea supporters with assault!!

Nice to see pro-life Indymediars. The site was in danger of becoming a case of 10 lefties speaking to each other.

Well done to Niamh by the way. Reads like a hard slog with a good result. That's the way to do it.

author by Elisa O'Donovanpublication date Mon Apr 23, 2007 17:46author address author phone Report this post to the editors

Im glad for Niamh Uí Bhriain. Some of thre allegations made against here must have caused her unkown distress and nobody whatever their beliefs deserves lies and false allegations made against them,especially in the national media. I wish her the best of health and best of luck in the future

author by Jerry corneliuspublication date Mon Apr 23, 2007 20:05author address author phone Report this post to the editors

A few things about Justin Barrett here.
http://www.indymedia.ie/article/63890

author by Janspeedpublication date Tue Apr 24, 2007 11:22author address author phone Report this post to the editors

Jan, it was clear a long time ago that you were a fascist and a racist trying to use Indymedia to stir up hatred towards foreigners, but you might at least try and be subtle about it. Your far-right ravings make your real agenda crystal clear to anyone

author by Idelpublication date Tue Apr 24, 2007 14:11author address author phone Report this post to the editors

This is great, the indo fat cats in trouble again, they seem to be very bad at verifying any of their stories.
The most ironic thing here is all the nutty lefties on this site raving about 'the working class' on one hand and 'abortion rights' on the other. If any of you could do your research, you would see abortion was originally introduced to, in the words of the great hero of all pro-abortionists, good friend of Hitler, and founder of Planned Parenthood, Margaret Sanger 'to eradicate the working-classes' and 'the negroes'. how ironic. And Youth Defence are the ones you try to label as 'fascist ' and racist'?

author by Janspeedpublication date Tue Apr 24, 2007 15:32author address author phone Report this post to the editors

Ironic indeed. Tell me, wasn't it Hitler who banned abortion, and enforced the death penalty for any woman who had an abortion? And wasn't it your little chum Justin Barrett who appeared at a Nazi rally in Germany with swastikas behind him?

author by Lorna Johnsonpublication date Tue Apr 24, 2007 16:12author address author phone Report this post to the editors

This is great!!!! The Independent needed to be taken down, they have totally lost the run of themselves.

Fair play woman - the ordinary person can fight back after all. Hope she skinned them

author by Dorothy Galepublication date Tue Apr 24, 2007 19:02author address author phone Report this post to the editors

She didnt skin them.

All she got was a 2 paragragh "apology" on an inside page. The Sindo said that they accepted that Niamh was not involved in violence or with dodgy people.

She got no damages. Thats ZERO Euros.

She got no costs. Thats ZERO Euros.

YD will have to pay her legal costs. Not much of a victory.

It looks as if the Sindo just gave her an inside page "apology" to get rid of her.

author by amypublication date Tue Apr 24, 2007 19:34author address author phone Report this post to the editors

to Lorna
I am aware that Ui Bhrian got damages and costs and an apology after a 9 year legal battle with the one of the biggest newspaper groups in the world.

it must be painful for you, this....

author by Amypublication date Tue Apr 24, 2007 19:38author address author phone Report this post to the editors

Apologies Lorna, I was replying to Dorothy Gale. And not to be like the Independent, I checked with the Youth Defence organisation and they have verified that the Independent paid ALL Costs which were hefty after 9 years and YES they paid damages as well

this must really hurt...

author by Wuzzypublication date Tue Apr 24, 2007 19:50author address author phone Report this post to the editors

All the hot air and ranting from YD loyalists won't change the reality - YD members have gone around threatening and attacking people who disagreed with them repeatedly in the past. There are many people around who have direct first-hand experience of this violent behaviour. You can shriek at me all you like but it won't be able to erase the collective memory of YD's thuggish antics. Nor can you erase the memory of Justin Barrett's open embrace of neo-Nazi groups.

author by Dorothy Galepublication date Tue Apr 24, 2007 20:08author address author phone Report this post to the editors

Niamh didnt get a penny in damages and she got no costs. Why doesnt Niamh tell us how much she got if she actuaslly got damages?

The Sindo came to this settelement - a meaningless apology, because if they had won the Libel case they wouldnt have been able to recover any costs from Niamh. tHe Sindo isnt into throwing away hundreds \of thousands of euros.

I reckon the Sindo would have won. P:eople who had been assaulted by YD would have given evidence against Niamh. Niamh was there at the Pipers House in 1992 when Pro Choice activists\were attacked with snooker cues and pick axe handles. She pointed out people to be attacked. Willie Ryan a YD supporter was convicted of assaulting a member of the WSM on that occasion.

She also directed YD members to assault Pro Choice activists outside the GPO on numerous occasions in 1992/93.

NIamh also directed an attack on Pro Choice activists inside and outside of Buswells Hotel in 1994.

Niamh was also involved in occupations of the Marie Stopes and IFPA Clinics. During these actions members of IFPA and Marie Stopes staff were assaulted by YD members.

She also associates \with art least two proven fascists: Maurice Colgan and Justin Barrett.

Everything the Sindo wrote about Niamh is true.

This can be confirmed by Pro Choice activists who have been up against Niamh over the last 15 years.

author by Dorothy Galepublication date Tue Apr 24, 2007 20:23author address author phone Report this post to the editors

Amy, you are just repeating the same lies. Niamh didnt get a Penny. If she did then why doesnt she tell us how much? How come there is no mention of money in the Sindo "apology"?

Anyway back to NIamhs fascist links:

One British Fascist group which has paid attention to the 26 counties is the International Third Position (ITP). This group (also active in the North) pursues a violently anti-Jewish Christian fundamentalist and agenda. It tries to appeal to both Catholic and Protestant bigotry with anti-gay and anti-abortion propaganda. Unlike the BNP and the NF, who are strongly anti Irish, the ITP believes that most Irish people in the South could be won as allies.

In 1993 the ITP magazine 'Final Conflict' printed articles praising Youth Defence (YD). Another ITP publication, 'Catholic Action' contained an article written by Cliona Ní Mhurchu, a YD activist. This article was full of nazi terminology and thinly veiled references to Jewish conspiracies. This article also appeared in 'Candour', a British Mosleyite journal.

In the late 1990s the International Third Position ran a website called "Crusaders for the Unborn Child" which expressed much praise for YD. TheCrusaders were a front for the ITP and held a number of pickets on abortion clinics in Britain as well as a picket on the Irish Embassy in London. The Embassy picket was specifically in support of the YD.

I hope that helps to clarify things.

author by Wuzzypublication date Tue Apr 24, 2007 21:05author address author phone Report this post to the editors

Good to see how bankrupt YD are, their partisans have to resort to childish abuse "idiots" "fool" etc when their lies are challenged. Nothing these fanatics can say will erase the memory of YD's violent attacks on people who disagree with their far-right agenda. Just don't get any notions now lads and start thinking you can pull off the same kind of stunts again - your time has passed

author by Lorna Johnsonpublication date Tue Apr 24, 2007 21:28author address author phone Report this post to the editors

Janey, Dorothy and Wuzzy, you guys are sore!!!!

What is your problem?

Of course the Indo paid up and covered costs, otherwise there would have been no apology. That stuff remains confidential in settlement usually. You should learn sometjing before you spout off.

They're pretty serious charges you are making Dot - why don't you give your details and be sued like a real man. If what the Sindo said was true they would have won - that simple. They have a whole firm dealing with libel.

Anyway, cheer up, maybe if you're nice you'll get invited to the party. Grumpy old lefties, no wonder no one loves ya.

author by Dorothy Galepublication date Tue Apr 24, 2007 21:38author address author phone Report this post to the editors

If compensation is paid then the sum may rem,ain confidential but not the fact that it has been paid. Niamh didn't get a penny. There was no mention of costs or compensation in the Sindo apology. Nor has Niamh claimed that she was paid even a penny.

Please either get Niamh to issue a statement saying that she got money or quit repeating yourself.

author by now, nowpublication date Tue Apr 24, 2007 23:42author address author phone Report this post to the editors

Confidential Agreement is ....... just that!

author by Lorna Johnsonpublication date Wed Apr 25, 2007 08:23author address author phone Report this post to the editors

According to my insider sources in the Pheonix, Ms Uí Bhriain got a six figure sum in damages and with costs the Indo are forking out 400,000. Love it!!!

Fortune favours the brave.

Good for her.

author by socmotpublication date Wed Apr 25, 2007 09:08author address author phone Report this post to the editors

.. on the libel victory. I despise the Indo Group for their shoddy approach to journalism.

However, be aware that YD are a minority, with a known fascist in a leadership role leader, with religious extremists in other leadership roles, all of whom are viewed as extremists in a country where most of the citizens living therein are pro-choice to one degree or another.

I look forward to the day when abortion is legislated for in the country, when women can choose what to do with their own bodies and biological processes and anti-woman control freaks are a thing of the past.

author by Wuzzypublication date Wed Apr 25, 2007 11:07author address author phone Report this post to the editors

When the holes in their argument are pointed out, the YD fanatics are reduced to going "sshh!" In other words "stop challenging us, stop challenging us, we're right, just accept it, we don't have to deal with your points, just ssshhh!" Pathetic stuff really. YD was and potentially still is a group of violent extremists with a track record of attacking people who disagree with them. All the shrill comments on the Internet your lot can muster won't change that.

author by Lorna Johnsonpublication date Wed Apr 25, 2007 11:15author address author phone Report this post to the editors

What a pack of little babies - 'we were bullied and harrassed'. Are you twelve years old or what? The fact is that most people agree with Youth Defense and like what they do. And most people will be delighted to see this woman beat Sir Tony!

All this is just sour grapes, get over it. I'm not a campaigner but I do remember how thuggish and nasty the pro-aborts were in 1992, arrested by the gardai for attacking marches and loons like SWP sreaming that they would beat the pro-lifers off the streets. Nice!

Funny thing is, Youth Defense are stronger than ever while there is no abortion campaign to speak of. Guess we know who is winning this one.

author by King Leonidas - Spartapublication date Wed Apr 25, 2007 12:03author address author phone Report this post to the editors

Which rally in German were Swastikas (Hakkenkreuz) openly displayed? Link? Pictures?

author by Wuzzypublication date Wed Apr 25, 2007 12:05author address author phone Report this post to the editors

"What a pack of little babies - 'we were bullied and harrassed'. Are you twelve years old or what?"

More pathetic rantings. YD repeatedly attacked people, sometimes with their fists, sometimes with hurleys and other weapons. All the shrieking you can muster won't be able to erase that. Just don't get notions and think you can try it again - your thuggish little group is a spent force and won't be allowed to terrorise people again.

"The fact is that most people agree with Youth Defense and like what they do"

Really? How do you measure this? Where are the masses coming out in support of YD? During the last abortion referendum, it would be fair to say that roughly 5% of the population voted in line with YD's urging. The vast majority of "no" voters opposed the government-proposed amendment because they didn't want to limit the right to abortion (and many of them would like a more liberal law than the status quo). The number of people who voted "no" because the amendment wasn't strict enough was negligible.

Take the rosaries out of your ears and face reality - your agenda is dying, your day is done, Ireland has changed enormously and left intolerant religious fanatics like you behind. Tell me, how did Justin Barrett do in the Euro elections again? Did the masses who apparently agree with everything you say and do come out to support him?

author by Pro-choicepublication date Wed Apr 25, 2007 12:10author address author phone Report this post to the editors

"Youth Defense are stronger than ever while there is no abortion campaign to speak of. Guess we know who is winning this one."

Hmm, what's been happening lately - a group of pro-choice campaigners have been picketing a fake pregnancy advice centre which is connected to the Christian far right, putting them under pressure and exposing their activities in the media. Dozens of people have come along to the regular protests. Who's there for the counter-demonstrations? A handful of old men and one burly thug who threatened women half his size with violence. Funny now - if YD was the force you claim it to be, you'd think they could muster a few heads to "peacefully" challenge their opponents. That's certainly the way it would have gone in the early 90s. Methinks you are a shadow of your former selves, reduced to posting comments on Indymedia because you have no presence in the real world.

author by Democracy rulespublication date Wed Apr 25, 2007 12:20author address author phone Report this post to the editors

Pro-Choice, wuzzy et al.

Is Abortion Illegal? The answer is yes. You call YD a spent force yet the overwhelming majority of the Irish people agree with them.

This is a democracy. The people have spoken in no uncertain terms. There are no slivers of hope for Pro-choice people to get out and actively try and close the gap and oveturn the law on this issue.

Pro-Choice is a tiny minorty. Acccept it.

author by Arthur the invinciblepublication date Wed Apr 25, 2007 13:01author address author phone Report this post to the editors

Why is 'pro-choice' disparaging Indymedia as a last resort for Youth Defence when he is posting on it himself? Silly stuff.

Meanwhile wuzzy is making vague threats while condemning other who behave threateningly. All so illogical.

At the end of the day it is YD 1; Indo 0 and lots of cash headed Niamh's way. I think YD will be around for a long time yet.

author by Arthur the invinciblepublication date Wed Apr 25, 2007 13:51author address author phone Report this post to the editors

I see that as well saying so so sorry the Indo also said that Niamh was a person 'of the highest integrity'. I just love it.

author by Jaysuspublication date Wed Apr 25, 2007 15:06author address Mexicoauthor phone Report this post to the editors

If the indo rag says that someone is "of the highest integrity" then the person concerned should regard it as an insult.

author by Pro-choicepublication date Wed Apr 25, 2007 15:13author address author phone Report this post to the editors

All the triumphalist ravings of YD fanatics can't change a basic fact - they are a tiny, isolated group, with no support in Irish society. Youth Defence and co went to the Irish people at the time of the last abortion referendum and said "this amendment isn't harsh enough, we need to vote it down and get a harsher one!" Their views carried sway with a tiny percentage of the population. There are a range of views on abortion, from people who favour the status quo, to those who want free legal abortion.

But none of these views are acceptable to Youth Defence - they want abortion to be illegal in all circumstances, and presumably would like to prevent Irish women (including teenage girls) from travelling to Britain to get abortions. This position is supported by a tiny minority of Irish people - and few of them would endorse the violent thuggery that has characterised Youth Defence throughout its history.

Face it lads - you represent nobody but yourselves, and you don't even have the muscle to go around threatening pro-choice activists like you used to. In your heyday, you would have mobilised a big guy of heavies to attack people protesting outside that Dorset St clinic. Instead, you had a handful of old guys and one big thug who thought he could scare the women involved away by making violent threats. He didn't...

author by Dorothy Galepublication date Wed Apr 25, 2007 15:57author address author phone Report this post to the editors

You may access more info regarding Justin Barrett here:

http://www.indymedia.ie/article/67030

http://www.indymedia.ie/article/67054

http://www.indymedia.ie/article/67076

author by Goldhawkpublication date Wed Apr 25, 2007 16:28author address author phone Report this post to the editors

"According to my insider sources in the Pheonix, Ms Uí Bhriain got a six figure sum in damages and with costs the Indo are forking out 400,000. Love it!!!"

I have made Phoenix magazine aware of your claims. Lets see if they back you up. Cant really see Phoenix giving info to YD.

author by rachelpublication date Wed Apr 25, 2007 17:36author address author phone Report this post to the editors

Pro choice - you can't seem to make up your mind
on the one hand youre giving out about yd 's supposed "heavy handed" approach ....and on the other you're trying to give them stick for no longer being heavy handed...whats that about? getting dizzy from talking in bizarre circles???

author by Pro choicepublication date Wed Apr 25, 2007 17:47author address author phone Report this post to the editors

No confusion, outside of your feverish imagination I'm afraid Rachel. Youth Defence have a record of violent attacks on pro-choice activists. But they've been very quiet lately. Back in the 90s, they would have been down to the protests outside the rogue clinic on Dorset St throwing their weight around - but there's no sign of them. More proof that YD is a spent force. They could only muster a single middle-aged thug to threaten the women involved, and without effect.

So for all your shrieking, there's the only practical evidence we have from the last few months - a group of pro-choice activists organise protests, mobilise people and get good media coverage. Youth Defence, meanwhile, do nothing, either to oppose the pro-choice campaigners, or to promote their own agenda. So much for YD being in rude health and pro-choce activism dying out.

You haven't even tried to address my points about the last abortion referendum, which showed how unpopular your agenda is. If YD had their finger on the public pulse, that referendum would have been voted down by people who thought it wasn't harsh enough, and a more punitive law brought forward in its place. Instead, it was voted down by a majority of people who thought the proposed amendment was too illiberal. Your arguments are completely out of line with the way most people think, never mind the violent methods you use to promote them.

author by Rev Malcolm X - Church of Marxpublication date Fri May 04, 2007 15:16author address author phone Report this post to the editors

Nic Mhathuna and her cohorts. were involved in violence against people who are pro-choice activists who behaved in a peace-ful manner. including in these acts of voilence, was one at a press conference, where women prochoice activists were addressing the media. incidents of intimidation of people outside IFPA clinic in Cathal Brugh Street. again incedents of stopping activists who are pro choice attending a meeting during Nice Treaty 1 . where Anthony Coughlan was addressing in the Gresham Hotel Dublin another incedent when members of the Labour party were having a pro-choice meeting
youth defence members were active intimidation against gay people in the college of surgeons. which was been addressed by the minister for justice, about same sex civil partnerships in 2006.
youth defense connections to right wing USA pro-life group. operation reescue.

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