Grassroots press release in support of AEIP carnival

national | summit mobilisations | press release Thursday April 22, 2004 16:14 by Laurence Cox - Dublin Grassroots Network lcox at iol dot ie 087-9851029

Rumour that events will be cancelled denied

Dublin Grassroots Network has issued a press release rejecting Garda attempts to restrict the freedom of assembly and opinion on Mayday. (see http://www.indymedia.ie/newswire.php?story_id=64488)

Press release
22.04.4

Dublin Grassroots Network, which is organising protest events around the EU summit on May Day, has scotched rumours that the protests will be cancelled following the refusal of Gardai to grant permission to the Another Europe Is Possible group for their planned carnival.

Spokesperson Laurence Cox said, "The freedom of speech and assembly, which includes the right to demonstrate, are fundamental to the democratic process. The attempt to ban this carnival, like the militarisation of policing for the May Day weekend, highlights the fundamentally undemocratic nature of EU processes. Neither Dublin Grassroots Network nor Another Europe Is Possible have called off their events. We stand by our right to express our opinion."

Over the past few weeks, Garda statements have indicated an intention to prevent large groups of protestors from gathering, to deploy armed gardai on Dublin streets from next Monday, to erect temporary detention centres and to use the Army against protestors. Recently the freedom of other EU citizens to travel to the May Day events has been called into question, most notably by Lord Mayor Royston Brady. This week, activists have complained of Garda harassment while leafletting residential areas.

The Dublin Grassroots Network is organising a weekend of events around the May Day summit, to highlight opposition to "Fortress Europe", privatisation, EU militarisation and social injustice. The highlight of the weekend will be a "noisy protest" leaving Parkgate St. at 6 pm on Saturday, using pots, pans, bells and whistles to make the protest heard by heads of state meeting in Farmleigh.

ENDS

For further information contact:

Laurence Cox
087-9851029

Liz Curry
086-8410666