Reclaim The Streets Dublin respond to "Robocop" trial - PRESS RELEASE

dublin | crime and justice | press release Monday December 01, 2003 00:35 by Reclaim The Streets Dublin rtsmayday at yahoo dot co dot uk

RECLAIM THE STREETS DUBLIN RESPOND TO "ROBOCOP" TRIAL

PRESS RELEASE - FOR IMMEDIATE USE


Monday December 1st 9:00am

Donal Corcoran - official Garda scapegoat. Click on the related link for more information.

Garda Donal Corcoran goes on trial this morning. Reclaim The Streets Dublin is calling for him, and the other Gardai charged with similar offences, not to be imprisoned. We believe that prison does not reform people. The State uses it as a quick-fix method of dealing with social injustices, and it is not an adequate automatic solution to all crimes.


RTS Dublin calls for Donal Corcoran, and the other Gardai involved in the May 2002 RTS attacks on peaceful party-goers, to be removed from their positions in An Garda Siochana. They should never be allowed to hold any public service position again. They should not be entitled to their pensions or benefits.


RTS Dublin also believe that these Gardai are being offered up as scapegoats, so that justice will be seen to be done. It is highly unlikely that upwards of forty or fifty Gardai disobeyed direct orders on May 6th 2002. RTS believes that the order to use extreme force and physical violence was authorised, and calls for the senior Gardai on duty in the streets that day to be removed from their posts also. The senior supervising Gardai on duty did not intervene in a single incident where the Gardai were assaulting people.


RTS Dublin calls for all pending charges against Mayday party-goers to be dropped immediately. After the fiasco of the independent inquiry, where not a single Garda was able to identify their work colleagues, how does the testimony of the Garda against party-goers have any credibility?


RTS Dublin will take to the streets again in the first six months of 2004 during the EU presidency. Fortress Europe is built on greed and profit. We want a Europe with no borders. Refugees and asylum seekers are welcome in our country. The streets are for everyone.