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M3 at time of economic recession

rss@LiveVideo.com (tarapixie) — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 23:37:36 GMT

030309 Protesters' disgust at ongoing construction of M3 at time of economic recession As Galway has a huge support network for the Tara M3 protest, a few buskathons were held to fundraise for a coach of Cultural Protecters to visit the Gabhra Valley. So on the 03/03/09, young and old turned up bright and early to catch the Tara Bus. A few showers of rain and a cold wind could not dampen the spirits as the good people of Galway converged in Eyre Square. There was plenty of time to get to know one another as the land between Galway and Tara flew past the windows. On the bus music was played, leaflets were handed out and a talk was given on Tara's history and the damage the illegal and unnecessary M3 is doing to the Gabhra Valley Once we arrived in the valley it was decided to pay a visit to the main Eurolink and Ferrovial offices in Cooksland, just outside Dunshaughlin. Much to the dismay of the Irish nation, in a time of global financial crisis, work on the M3 is continuing. We wished to convey our absolute disgust to the co ordinators of this illegal toll-road about the blatant waste of money, the corruption, the environmental damage and the cultural vandalism. The long convoy of buses and cars departed from the Hill of Tara and pulled up outside the compound. The gates were closed as we were approaching, so we climbed under and over the fence. In flooded the tide of indignant men, women and children, wanting to know why had this travesty been allowed? Why had the love of so many generations been so affronted after all this time; its relics so lovingly woven into the landscape over previous ages and left as a reminder for our future. They are now cast aside like an embarrassment, Tara is bulldozed debris, swept under the rug of mass consumer culture. Commuters have not been informed that this double tolled road will not solve the traffic problems. Protesters demanded to see those responsible for working on this abominable road, but the only answer the ignorant thugs of SIAC Ferrovial could give us was to slam the office doors in our faces, yet again offering the people more violent thuggery. There was nothing unusual about this, it was typical of what we have seen of SIAC Ferrovial over the last few years. The most abusive, racist and violent workers on the M3 are worth naming and shaming – Mark Cleary, Marcus Hargreaves and MD Security. It is also worth noting that not one single member of the M3 staff could justify the construction of the motorway, and turned their heads away with embarrassment. Luckily some of the protesters had managed to get inside the site offices and as they went in search of the answers so many of us now demand, others stayed in support outside. The security guards and office workers reacted in the only way that they know how, scuffles broke out both inside and outside the offices. As protesters tried to calm the workers down, one of the protesters had his mobile phone stolen by security. No one was shocked, and when we were told that the phone was now in the hands of the Garda Siochana we didn't believe it for a moment. The Sargent on the site seemed to doubt the theft ever happened, and was most rude and unhelpful. So, instead we mounted a peaceful protest outside the compound to demand its return. Once more we saw the devious tactics of the SIAC Ferrovial “security advisor” at work - as construction vehicles were summoned to the compound; a pretence was made by their drivers that they could not get into the compound because of our group, thus upsetting the public in a traffic jam behind the construction vehicle. This is a tactic that protesters have seen before on the Tara M3 project, it is the form of entrapment used in July 2007 at Soldier's Hill, now the Blundelstown interchange. 7 peaceful protesters were arrested and 4 of them were imprisoned for "obstructing" the public highway even though the obstruction was in fact caused by SIAC Ferrovial vehicles refusing

Author: tarapixie
Keywords: TARAPIXIE.NET TARA Hill of Tara Rath Lugh direct action protest
Added: Thu, 05 Mar 2009 23:37:36 GMT