Ireland: Mass protest against austerity charges

Dublin came to a halt on 20 March when 80,000 people marched against the government’s imposed water charges. Socialist Party TD (MP) Ruth Coppinger spoke at the rally and encouraged the non-payment campaign.

The demo was the latest in a series of mass actions in the run-up to the issuing of punitive water bills next month, when another huge protest demo is planned.

In what is seen as a political vendetta by the pro-austerity Fine Gail/Labour Party coalition government against the anti-water charges movement, Gardaí (police) are reported to have recommended charges of ‘imprisonment and violent disorder’ be brought against Paul Murphy, the socialist TD for Dublin South West, Socialist Party councillors Mick Murphy and Kieran Mahon, and five other protesters. Their arrests followed a peaceful anti-water charge protest in Tallaght last November, in which Tánaiste (deputy prime minister) Joan Burton was briefly blockaded in a car.