Street protesters settle actions
national |
rights, freedoms and repression |
opinion/analysis 
Monday March 06, 2006 00:58
by Pat fitzgerald - Irishtimeswatch.com
No details were disclosed
According to the Irish Times two protesters who sued the State and Garda Commissioner for assault following the reclaim the streets protest three years ago have settled out of court. No details were disclosed.
The Irish times reported Fri, Mar 03, 06, that ‘Street protesters settle actions’.
The short article read:
”Two men who alleged they were assaulted by gardaí in separate incidents during the Reclaim the Streets protest three years ago have settled their High Court actions for damages.
Jonathon Kelly, Garble Lane, Rathgar, Dublin, had sued the State and Garda Commissioner after he claimed he was assaulted on Burgh Quay on May 6th, 2002.
A Limerick man who also sued the State and Garda Commissioner settled his action. Keith Kerley Ballysimon, Limerick city, had claimed damages for an alleged assault by gardaí near Dame Street on the same day. Both cases were settled outside court. No details were disclosed.”
I hate that. ‘No details were disclosed’. Is this an admission of guilt by the state? Have the protesters been gagged? Is that the last of the law suits? I presume no details could be got under the freedom of some information act.
Anyone know anything?
Comments (3 of 3)
Jump To Comment: 1 2 3It means the righteous protesters took the lure of capitalism and took some money instead of showing the world what an oppressive regime we have in ireland.
That the protestor gets some dough, but can't sue or talk about it further and the state doesn't get to assume responsibility.
in fairness to the protesters, this was a civil case. there would have been no apology or case to answer by the offending gardai, as far as i can gather. the criminal cases failed miserably despite the fact that there was a plethora of photographic evidence and a journo, tourists, and passers-by were also beaten by the police. the legal system failed, which won't come as a great surprise to many here. also, the recent riots on o'connell street would have surely worked against the protestor's in court. it would have been great if they went for it but i can see why they didn't.
we don't need the court to tell us how fucked the garda violence was that day, we've all seen the footage.
Indymedia Ireland is a media collective. We are independent volunteer citizen journalists producing and distributing the authentic voices of the people. Indymedia Ireland is an open news project where anyone can post their own news, comment, videos or photos about Ireland or related matters.