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http://www.anarchomedia.org/eufortress http://geocities.com/eufortress
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Mayday organisers reject GRA allegations
The Dublin Grassroots Network, who are organising a weekend of events this May Day to highlight "Fortress Europe", have sharply criticised recent statements from Garda Representative Association (GRA) general secretary, PJ Stone, as heightening tensions and criminalising the right to protest.
Spokesperson Laurence Cox said, "In the light of Garda violence at May Day 2002, the use of armed gardai at this year's protests, already confirmed by authorities, can only be regarded as the height of irresponsibility. For PJ Stone to encourage his members to treat protestors as a threat similarly raises fears on all sides and raises the risk of a similar loss of control, with potentially tragic results."
Gardai have already confirmed that they will attempt to prevent large groups of protestors gathering, despite European and constitutional obligations to protect freedom of assembly and expression. Recent weeks have seen increased calls to restrict freedom of movement for demonstrators from other EU countries.
Irish activist Jo Moffatt, who was injured by Italian police during protests at Genoa, has strongly rejected allegations that protestors were "responsible for riots" in Genoa at the G8 summit in 2001. He said yesterday, "In Genoa, police used baton-charges, armoured cars and tear-gas to attack a quarter of a million peaceful protestors. One demonstrator was shot and killed, while hundreds were subsequently injured in police custody."
The Italian legal system opened 9 separate inquiries into the events, 8 of which focussed on police misconduct.
For more information, including Mayday event plans, see: www.struggle.ws/eufortress
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http://www.anarchomedia.org/eufortress http://geocities.com/eufortress
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