UCD members protest against McDowell

Issued : Saturday 10 April, 2004 by UCD

Labour Youth members recently took part in a protest against Michael Mc Dowell, when he came to address a Young PD meeting in U.C.D.

Much media attention has been given to the reception given to the Minister of 'Justice' Michael McDowell when he visited U.C.D. last Monday. Protesters have been accused of 'assaulting' the minister and Gardai (The Indo), being a 'furious mob' (The Star) and being "hairy-looking students" who support Joe Higgins (The Taoiseach).

Certainly a most creative description of the events that took place. The protest that greeted him has been made out to be one step short of a bloody insurrection, so in the interest of the truth (an idea some journalists seem to be confused by) here's a more accurate account of what happened.

The protest was held under an umbrella group called the Anti-Deportation Campaign (A.D.C.), a campaign that was founded over a year ago and has received support from all segments of the college life. Alas the U.C.D. Young P.D.s (sorry, more accurately Young P.D.) were somewhat late in letting us know that the Mad Mullah himself was coming out. So we had to publicise the protest in a somewhat rushed word of mouth method.

After a great deal of secrecy from the Young P.D.s about the location of the meeting, the room was found by the simple fact that there was a large number of uniformed Gardai and gorillas in suits guarding it (secrecy not being a talent the secret service have discovered yet). Naturally it attracted the protesters as moths to a facist flame and after a brief discussion of tactics we decided on a plan of action.

Approx. 25 protesters decided to 'welcome' McDowell by attempting to delay his entry into the Arts Block. We gathered outside the lecture theatre to await his coming. Other members of the A.D.C. had opted to enter the meeting and once the meeting began proceed to hold up placards and ask awkward questions of the Minister.

Upon his arrival McDowell, with his head held high and a proud look on his faced, goose-stepped his way in the back door while having to rely on the Gardai to blitzkrieg his path clear. There was an overreaction of biblical proportions with the boys in blue (or is that the yobbos in yellow?) shoving people to the ground because they were walking too slowly. And in this fashion the Garda`kicked' off the meeting.

While McDowell was blathering on and getting annoyed at the audience for not being good little drones the protesters outside were discussing tactics (and rubbing bruises). By going along the line of thought "You won't let them stay so we won't let you leave" it was decided that by preventing McDowell's car from leaving we could embarrass him and ensure he wouldn't forget us in a hurry (with the added benefit of getting media attention). So after having our numbers swelled to 50ish by some late arrivals we used bike locks on the doors to prevent the majority of the Gardai following us. When McDowell was spotted being hustled out the front door looking somewhat sheepish (and very pink in the face) the demo split into two with a dozen or so protesters staying put to make sure his car wasn't stolen (there was a couple of shady looking people knocking
about - they were all dressed the same in horrible yellow jackets and strange hats - we think they may have been a gang as they looked very angry and vicious). The majority of the protesters went around the front while one of the gang members yelled something about Section 6.a of the Public Order act at those who had chosen to remain.

After pointing out that the public order act didn't apply to this situation and by sitting on a private road looking at a car we were in no way being "threatening, abusive or insulting" the gang member asked us if we thought we were funny. After a confused silence we attempted to explain that we were making a very serious political point and if he wanted a laugh he should read Fianna Fail's manifesto from the last election. Alas the argument and joke telling was cut short by a police car arbitrarily backing into a wall some distance away and doing itself some damage.

At this stage McDowell was outside the Arts Block steadily turning from an already vivid pink to a deep purple. Perhaps he was getting flushed at the beautiful Stalinist architecture U.C.D. is famous for. Alas we never found out as he refused to make eye-contact or answer any of our questions. After 'running a gauntlet of campus chaos' (a sentence from the Irish Daily Star which doesn'tmake any sense what-so-ever) he was whisked away in a Garda van. Back at his car, after discussing the merits of Trade Unionism with his driver (who was in flying form and seemed to be having the time of his life) and having been shown the special built in features of the customised Merc, (they were very impressive) we wished his driver well and went back to growing our hair and worshiping Joe Higgins.

And so ended the battle of Belfield...

 

 

On a somewhat more serious note the language used by certain elements of the media and political figures is not only misleading but downright offensive. Immigration and deportation are issues that will affect us for decades to come. Human beings are being hurried through a ramshackle system with no regard for human life or human rights. The branding of protesters as mindless thugs is a disgrace we should not take sitting down. Active and prominent members of community groups, charities and political parties were involved in this protest. Countless hours have been given by members of the A.D.C. to groups such as the Free Legal Advice Centre, Amnesty, Oxfam, The Irish Refugee Council, The Simon Community, kNOw Racism Campaign, St. Vincent De Paul, Glusteacht, Jubilee 2000, One World Society, Suas, The Tobin Tax Campaign, GOAL, Trocaire to name but a few.

These people did not come out to protest due to teenage angst nor mindless hooliganism, or even a desire to cause trouble. This protest took place because despite an `Ignorance is bliss' attitude encouraged amongst the Irish people (and particularly promoted in the younger generations) people are starting to sit up and take notice. The people at the protest come from a wide and varied range of backgrounds and while their politics may be expanded by experience, refined by reading, a basic morality is at the root of it all. Respect. Respect for others, respect for their rights, respect for their abilities.

Coming from a generation which can (and does) kick people to death in the street, which can (and does) embrace a `Me Fein-ism' attitude, which can (and does) turn to substance abuse in record numbers, those who stand up to protect others should not be criticised in such a disgraceful fashion. That in a nutshell is what prompted me to commit this rant to paper.

We have been labelled reckless, feckless troublemakers by politicians and the media. However the Garda Press Office has said that McDowell and the Gardai were not assaulted. U.C.D. Security Services has stated that none of their employees were injured. The only property damage arose due to a Garda car reversing into a wall some 50 feet away from the protesters who were sitting quietly on the ground. McDowell has claimed someone grabbed his jacket. This was swiftly turned by the media into a frenzied horde of protesters jumping him and instantly shredding his coat. Then again as our supreme lord and master Joe Higgins TD said "This may have been a misunderstanding; they may have been trying merely to touch the hem of the great man's garment."