Bertie got 'jostled'

Wompa1

Looks like another little prick tried to make a name for himself last night. After the resounding success of the last time this happened and the thread got closed down for cross site whining I open the floor to all the student bashing again. Do your worst. I can't wait for the spelling police to go wild on this!

biko

Can you elaborate on what happened for us non-students?
Links?

TheInvisibleFie

Statement for Free Education for Everyone (FEE):

Bertie Ahern was due to speak at the Literary and Debating society of NUI Galway tonight. The event was cancelled due to student protest and scuffles with the Gardaí.

Free Education for Everyone (FEE) called a protest against Ahern’s visit, applying the slogan ‘they’re trying to block our access to college so we’ll block theirs’. Although Ahern is no longer Taoiseach he remains a Fianna Fáil TD. The students were protesting the proposal of third level fees, the registration fee hike, and the general education cuts being introduced by the Fianna Fáil/ Green government. It is on this basis that FEE attempted to block Ahern’s access to the campus.

About 50 students staged a sit down protest at the University Road entrance. Without provocation Gardaí launched themselves at the protesters. Instead of simply pulling students out of the way the Gardaí engaged in heavy-handed tactics – flinging students away and dragging them by the hair in a totally uncalled for manor.

Seeing this, Ahern’s car turned around and came in by another entrance. Although not originally planned, students – angered by Garda tactics – became intent on completely blocking Ahern’s access to the college. This involved students standing in front of doors and being shoved out of the way. But at no point did protesters take violent action against the Gardaí.

When Ahern arrived at the speaking venue students gathered in front of the lecture theatre door and were forced into a tight corner by numbers of Gardaí. Even students not involved in the protest were included in this crush . The event was called off at this point.

After the crowd dispersed one protester was arrested and later charged for using insulting words and obstructing Gardaí. The protester was released later that night.

FEE accepts that the protest did not go as planned, but sticks by the initial attempt and reasons behind blocking Ahern from coming onto campus. It was the actions of the Gardaí that drove students to bring the protest indoors.

FEE is committed to building a mass movement of students against fees and education cuts across all levels, believing the best way to defeat fees and cuts is by active protest involving all students. To this end, FEE is involved in building for the USI national march against fees being held in Dublin this Wednesday.

Wompa1

TheInvisibleFie wrote: »

Statement for Free Education for Everyone (FEE):

Bertie Ahern was due to speak at the Literary and Debating society of NUI Galway tonight. The event was cancelled due to student protest and scuffles with the Gardaí.

Free Education for Everyone (FEE) called a protest against Ahern’s visit, applying the slogan ‘they’re trying to block our access to college so we’ll block theirs’. Although Ahern is no longer Taoiseach he remains a Fianna Fáil TD. The students were protesting the proposal of third level fees, the registration fee hike, and the general education cuts being introduced by the Fianna Fáil/ Green government. It is on this basis that FEE attempted to block Ahern’s access to the campus.

About 50 students staged a sit down protest at the University Road entrance. Without provocation Gardaí launched themselves at the protesters. Instead of simply pulling students out of the way the Gardaí engaged in heavy-handed tactics – flinging students away and dragging them by the hair in a totally uncalled for manor.

Seeing this, Ahern’s car turned around and came in by another entrance. Although not originally planned, students – angered by Garda tactics – became intent on completely blocking Ahern’s access to the college. This involved students standing in front of doors and being shoved out of the way. But at no point did protesters take violent action against the Gardaí.

When Ahern arrived at the speaking venue students gathered in front of the lecture theatre door and were forced into a tight corner by numbers of Gardaí. Even students not involved in the protest were included in this crush . The event was called off at this point.

After the crowd dispersed one protester was arrested and later charged for using insulting words and obstructing Gardaí. The protester was released later that night.

FEE accepts that the protest did not go as planned, but sticks by the initial attempt and reasons behind blocking Ahern from coming onto campus. It was the actions of the Gardaí that drove students to bring the protest indoors.

FEE is committed to building a mass movement of students against fees and education cuts across all levels, believing the best way to defeat fees and cuts is by active protest involving all students. To this end, FEE is involved in building for the USI national march against fees being held in Dublin this Wednesday.

Is it true that Bertie got jostled by the guy arrested and that Bertie is walking on crutches? Burn down the college bar begod! ah ha ha ha ha ha ha...ha

fuzzsc00ta

FEE is a violent organisation that should be banned from the university. Their actions are getting more aggressive and eventually a student or member of the public is going to get seriously hurt.

I imagine there will be a disciplinary investigation into the events of last night. Its an embarrassment for the entire Univeristy and "heads will roll" as they say.


From the sinboards:

One student arrested as Bertie Ahern prevented from appearing at NUI Galway
By Kevin O’Connor

There were scenes of violence at the Quadrangle and Concourse buildings of NUI Galway tonight (February 2nd) followed by arrests and claims of police brutality which continued on for over an hour throughout Bertie Ahern’s short visit to the University.
Ahern was on campus to take part in a much anticipated public debate organised by the Literary and Debating Society and to be presented with the President’s Medal, an award given by the society to individuals in recognition of their work and achievements.
The event was marred by protests from the start by members of the Free Education for Everyone (FEE) organisation who had put posters around the campus encouraging people to protest the visit with the slogan ‘If Fianna Fáil TDs want to block our access to college, we’ll block theirs’, in reference to the proposed hikes in third level fees by Fianna Fáil. When Ahern arrived at the Quadrangle building at the entrance to the college, his path was blocked by a large group of protesters. The protestors then claim that they were “rugby charged” by police; however the protestors did succeeded in denying Ahern access to the Quad building where he was scheduled to meet members of young Fianna Fáil, as well as the president of the University.
It was outside the quadrangle building where one protestor was arrested, it is unclear as of yet what charge if any will be brought against him.
Ahern was then escorted to the concourse building by several plain clothes and uniformed police where they were again met with severe resistance. After several minutes of scuffling and pushing, the Gardai did manage to beat back the protestors enough to gain access to the concourse building; however, the lecture hall where the public interview event was to take place is located a hundred metres or so from the entrance. Aherne, who after a recent broken leg which had caused this event to previously be postponed, now walks with the aid of a walking stick at quite a slow pace was escorted down the wide concourse past hundreds of members of the public and students who were queuing outside the lecture hall. The entourage was forced to move at a snail’s pace as a roving blockade was set up by protestors linking arms and scuffling with Gardai, several Gardai and FEE protestors were seen to be engaged in quite serious physical confrontations, as well as abuse and small missiles being hurled at the former Taoiseach.
Several members of the public in the queue received very minor injuries, as well as some of the Lit and Deb committee who were attempting to calm the situation.
Although Mr. Ahern kept smiling throughout the ordeal, it was obvious from his demeanour and expression that he was quite shaken and disturbed by the events that were taking place around him.
One member of the public was later quoted as saying “I told one of the FEE protestors to chill out, then he took a swing at my face.”
Bertie Ahern and his entourage were escorted to a nearby room adjacent to the lecture hall so as to allow the situation to calm down, one plain clothes Garda was forced to employ the use of an extendable baton on the protestors in order to secure passage into the room.
Several minutes passed before Oisín Collins, a member of the Literary and Debating society committee made a statement to the waiting crowd to the effect that Bertie Ahern had left the building and that his appearance had been cancelled. However, a discussion and public apology would be made inside the lecture theatre. At this point, the FEE protestors were heard to cheer loudly, while many members of the public drifted away in silent disappointment and anger.
Dan Colley, the auditor of the Literary and Debating Society stood before the sixty or so people in the hall who decided to stay for the discussion. Mr. Colley did not wear the robes and chain that is customary at the society’s events and said that standing orders were cancelled and that the following discussion would not employ usual debating rules, but requested the crowd, a mixture of FEE activists, public and students, be civil.
Mr. Colley then confirmed that Bertie Ahern had left the building and that the appearance was cancelled by him on the advice of campus security and Gardai for fear of the safety of Mr. Ahern and indeed of Mr. Colley himself.
The discussion was then opened to the floor, with several students expressing disappointment and embarrassment at what had happened and claiming that they may have had sympathies with the cause of FEE in the past, that their actions tonight had lost their support entirely.
FEE members who spoke expressed joy at blocking Mr. Ahern’s entrance and that “what we wanted to achieve was to highlight the issue of third level fees by blocking Ahern’s entrance to the college since he is trying to block ours by introducing fees.”
Many of the Literary and Debating Society, as well as other students commented on the “stupidity” of FEE’s actions and argued that more could have been achieved for FEE’s cause had the former Taoiseach been permitted to speak and then be questioned from the floor instead of being stopped from appearing altogether.
Speaking to Sin, Students’ Union president Muireann O’Dwyer that “NUI Galway Students’ Union condemns the actions of a small number of people which led to the cancellation of Bertie Ahern’s audience with student society Lit and Deb. The Union believes violent protest is never appropriate, and strongly condemns attempts to stifle the activities of any student society on campus.”
“Some students were hurt tonight, and more were afraid. The actions of both Gardai and a small number of protestors were unnecessary. It seemed to all get out of hand. We are very upset that students who wanted to see an engaging interview were frightened and some were even hurt.”

Wompa1

fuzzsc00ta wrote: »

FEE is a violent organisation that should be banned from the university. Their actions are getting more aggressive and eventually a student or member of the public is going to get seriously hurt.

I imagine there will be a disciplinary investigation into the events of last night. Its an embarrassment for the entire Univeristy and "heads will roll" as they say.


From the sinboards:

Glad to see a student with some sense. If only there were more like you

fuzzsc00ta

To be honest they're a core group of about 20 leftovers from Rossport/Shannon/Palestinian Solidarity that just need something to protest.

The vast majority of the student body were disgusted by the intimidation of O'Cuiv. The reaction to FEE's disgraceful behavior last night is one of absolute disgust.

The NUIG SU has run a very creative and peaceful campaign against the re-introduction of fees. Its a shame that it has been railroaded by a nasty little minority.

There's a big march to Dublin being organised by the USI for this Wednesday. If FEE will be there I'll be genuinely afraid for people's safety as its obvious from their track record that they are planning some sort of violent altercation.

If any student is reading this please email the SU and ask them to disassociate themselves from FEE and to detail a plan on how they will deal with any violence at the march!

su.president@nuigalway.ie

sgthighway

Its not just an embarrassment for the entire Univeristy. Its an embarrassment to the people of Galway. I can see an example been set on one of these students to prevent similar actions happening.

I am not Berties biggest fan but I still think the actions of FEE were a disgrace. He is a former Taoiseach so deserves at least a certain amount of respect. Imagine something like that happened with an former US president(in the US) I would imagine people would definitely be shot.

The Gardai should have given them a good hiding with the batons in my opinion for making a fool out of the university.

Where do all these w***er organizations in galway come from FEE, GAAW etc

EJLL

I don't think it's an embarassment to the University. If anything it shows that the University has free thinkers and is not just a vehicle that produces industry fodder.

ethernet

Disgusted by what that minority have done (yet again), as are the vast majority of other students. This is very clear from posts on the students' own boards as well.

EJLL

EJLL wrote: »

I don't think it's an embarassment to the University. If anything it shows that the University has free thinkers and is not just a vehicle that produces industry fodder.

Nobody would have complained if they had a peaceful protest and stayed out of the way. They still would have gotten their point across and would not have annoyed(or worse) the rest of the university population.

markpb

sinboards wrote:

Ahern was on campus to take part in a much anticipated public debate organised by the Literary and Debating Society and to be presented with the President’s Medal, an award given by the society to individuals in recognition of their work and achievements.

Whatever your feelings on free education, inviting a man for an award who oversaw a huge growth in national and personal debt, failed to stop incompetent and corrupt planning, destroyed the economy by failing to taper the effects of a building boom, failed to improve the infrastructure, squandered billions and achieved nothing and then resigned, earning three huge pensions while the rest of the country slides into a recession was profoundly rude to the people of Ireland suffering because of his incompetence. It shows a total lack of understanding or empathy of the situation we're in because of him.

Plenty of people will cheer FEE today for standing up to him.

Danielle Immense Jeans wrote: »

Nobody would have complained if they had a peaceful protest and stayed out of the way. They still would have gotten their point across and would not have annoyed(or worse) the rest of the university population.

What sort of protest would that have been? What point would it have made? It would have been completely and utterly ignored. As it is, the press is reporting it as a tame protest and the campaign gets media coverage.

As an aside, I'm in favour of the partial (and sensible) re-introduction of college fees. The current system is a sham and badly needs to be fixed. Rich people pay (relatively) nothing, poor people don't get enough support from the grant system and middle class people get the grant without needing it.

fuzzsc00ta

markpb wrote: »

Plenty of people will cheer FEE today for standing up to him.

Yeah, standing up to a guy in crutches. What heroes.

markpb

markpb wrote: »

Whatever your feelings on free education, inviting a man for an award who oversaw a huge growth in national and personal debt, failed to stop incompetent and corrupt planning, destroyed the economy by failing to taper the effects of a building boom, failed to improve the infrastructure, squandered billions and achieved nothing and then resigned, earning three huge pensions while the rest of the country slides into a recession was profoundly rude to the people of Ireland suffering because of his incompetence. It shows a total lack of understanding or empathy of the situation we're in because of him.

Plenty of people will cheer FEE today for standing up to him.

Thats not the point. As I said I am no fan of FF or Bertie but I still dont agree with this carry on.

markpb wrote: »

As an aside, I'm in favour of the partial (and sensible) re-introduction of college fees. The current system is a sham and badly needs to be fixed. Rich people pay (relatively) nothing, poor people don't get enough support from the grant system and middle class people get the grant without needing it.

Everyone should get the Grant or nobody should get it imo. Why should some people have to get jobs and get money of their parents while some get a fortune in the grant. Unless the family are very rich i.e millionaires then the student should get the grant and the parents should be left out of it.

markpb

Danielle Immense Jeans wrote: »

Thats not the point. As I said I am no fan of FF or Bertie but I still dont agree with this carry on.

This sort of carry-on was a protest that made the national press, ie a successful one. A protest that doesn't get media coverage is a waste of time. If you were protesting, would you aim to stay out of peoples way and get as little attention as possible?

ZorbaTehZ

fuzzsc00ta wrote: »

FEE is a violent organisation that should be banned from the university. Their actions are getting more aggressive and eventually a student or member of the public is going to get seriously hurt.

I imagine there will be a disciplinary investigation into the events of last night. Its an embarrassment for the entire Univeristy and "heads will roll" as they say.

+1

What a total embarassment for the College. Again these muppets manage to **** up what would have been a very interesting event and get national coverage for the Uni making us look like idiots.

Nuggles

markpb wrote: »

This sort of carry-on was a protest that made the national press, ie a successful one. A protest that doesn't get media coverage is a waste of time. If you were protesting, would you aim to stay out of peoples way and get as little attention as possible?

Making your cause look like it's run by aggressive violent hooligans isn't good.

Protest all you want, it's pointless if it makes you look like a shower of ****. No one listens to ****!

Wompa1

markpb wrote: »

Whatever your feelings on free education, inviting a man for an award who oversaw a huge growth in national and personal debt, failed to stop incompetent and corrupt planning, destroyed the economy by failing to taper the effects of a building boom, failed to improve the infrastructure, squandered billions and achieved nothing and then resigned, earning three huge pensions while the rest of the country slides into a recession was profoundly rude to the people of Ireland suffering because of his incompetence. It shows a total lack of understanding or empathy of the situation we're in because of him.

Plenty of people will cheer FEE today for standing up to him.



What sort of protest would that have been? What point would it have made? It would have been completely and utterly ignored. As it is, the press is reporting it as a tame protest and the campaign gets media coverage.

As an aside, I'm in favour of the partial (and sensible) re-introduction of college fees. The current system is a sham and badly needs to be fixed. Rich people pay (relatively) nothing, poor people don't get enough support from the grant system and middle class people get the grant without needing it.

The point there protest made was that they are a bunch of mindless criminals and don't deserve their fees paid for. I agree with re-introduction of fee's with a student loan system in place

leninbenjamin

glad i'm gone from there and can be no longer associated with those muppets...

kayos

ahhh not again ffs.....

EuskalHerria

It is so great to see so many giving their opinion on little more than a piece from the student paper which the reporter even told us she was a FF supporter.

First a peaceful bloackade was made which was the only intention of the FEE to make our point to bertie. As was said after police brutally and racially in one case abused us we decided that bertie and his political police were not entering OUR college. We blocked the doors and not once did any member of FEE retaliate to the police throwing punches, ripping females clothes and throwing females down a set of stairs.

Bertie was brought in to the building and nobody at all got anywhere near him or wanted to get near him our point was to stop him speaking which was achieved by peaceful means, at least on our part. Their was violence but it was completely iniateated and kept up by "keepers of the peace".

As for the arrest the lad arrested was arrested about 20 minutes after the protest had finished. he was doing nothing but standing talking to a friend when 3 gards came and handcuffed him. As he was being brought away a gilr tried to stop the gardai who were man handling him even though he was not resisting and already handcuffed. For her troubles to stop them hurting him a gard through back his elbow on purpose, catching her in the face and she needed medical attention.

People can throw out whatever muck they feel but at least get your facts straight first. Have a go at them lazy aul students, nothing like uing a generalisation or two is there? The fact is the gards were the only ones using violence, even the lad arrested was released without charge as their was nothing but intimidation in their tactics of arresting him. The gardai were a disgrace last night, breaking laws to protect a crook and a gangster!!

04KY

EuskalHerria wrote: »

It is so great to see so many giving their opinion on little more than a piece from the student paper which the reporter even told us she was a FF supporter.

Ah yes, as opposed to your obviously unbiased piece.

EuskalHerria

04KY wrote: »

Ah yes, as opposed to your obviously unbiased piece.

I was there and I know what happened. Their is video footage backing up what I say, can you tell me what you think happened and then substanciate it?

Nuggles

EuskalHerria wrote: »

were not entering OUR college.

He was invite. F.E.E on the other hand went far past peaceful protest. And saying "they had not intended to enter the building, but did due to Gardaí's behaviour" is crap. If you read some of the stuff on the NUIG boards, one of the organisers says they were they to cause as much noise and hassle as possible. The same fella who is seen on the youtube video pushing a guy who was PEACEFULLY trying to calm the situation and RESTED his hand on the hooligan's shoulder.

Nuggles

EuskalHerria wrote: »

I was there and I know what happened. Their is video footage backing up what I say, can you tell me what you think happened and then substanciate it?

Where's the footage?

Mimikyu

This post has been deleted.

So thats what was going on outside the library.

Squeeonline

Talk about biting the hand that feeds. The government paid for the university and still does. Yes fees should be protested but this is not the way to do it.

What happened last night was a disgrace. I am not affiliated with any political party nor do I ever plan to be (they are all wrong IMO) but the way to have a proper debate on teh issue is not shouting down and shoving a 60 year old man in crutches who is still in a lot of pain from his fall a few months ago.

I would have liked to have seen Joe and other FEE members getting a whack from Berties crutch though. Would have brought a smile to my face.

Also you will probably hear of the next few days that the gardai were being rough and a "well they started it" whinging from FEE. Nothing is further from the truth.

http://ie.youtube.com/watch?v=xyEqBrrx1Kc

the last few seconds shows Crazy Joe (Yousuf) Loughnane pushing and being aggressive with another student (member of the lit&deb committee) WITHOUT provocation from anyone - just shouting the same rhetoric like a brainwashed eejit.

I wish it would have gone on longer so we could see other FEE members being violent (and there is no other word) with OTHER STUDENTS. I got pushed around myself but i know of 2 GIRLS who got hit quite hard (one knocked to the ground), who were not members of fee.

I dont know what can be done, but I would like to see FEE done for assault, breach of the peace, and expelled immediately from campus with a large fine (say about 6000€ which is about the same amount as fees will be - oh the irony)

04KY

EuskalHerria wrote: »

I was there and I know what happened. Their is video footage backing up what I say, can you tell me what you think happened and then substanciate it?

Reporter was there too.

Care to show the footage?

This footage shows a FEE member pushing somebody that is trying to calm everybody down.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xyEqBrrx1Kc

EuskalHerria

Nuggles wrote: »

He was invite. F.E.E on the other hand went far past peaceful protest. And saying "they had not intended to enter the building, but did due to Gardaí's behaviour" is crap. If you read some of the stuff on the NUIG boards, one of the organisers says they were they to cause as much noise and hassle as possible. The same fella who is seen on the youtube video pushing a guy who was PEACEFULLY trying to calm the situation and RESTED his hand on the hooligan's shoulder.

How did FEE go far past a peaceful protest? I'll be honest after being beaten by the gardai it was obvious the mood was a little bit tense and would it be for anyone staring in the face of gardai who had beaten us literally 5minutes before and for what? Letting some gangster come and accept and award?

The footage is on a number of cameras and i'm sure it will be put up soon. I personally I am uploading the video as we speak, clear as day the protesters standing in front of the gards and only the gardai pushing, shoving and throwing people about