A series of protests is developing around the police conversation proposing to rape two Rossport campaigners.
In Dublin, a lunchtime protest outside the Dail organised by women's groups and concerned individuals was held on Friday 8th with about 150 people; a Guardian report is here and an Indymedia report here. In Belmullet, the base of the offending policemen (since transferred), a Saturday (9th) afternoon protest was held with around 100 people. There's a report here. A demonstration was held outside the Irish embassy in London on Monday (11th) morning. No reports as yet.
On Wednesday 13th there will be a protest at 5 pm in the Market Square in Castlebar, where the policemen in question have been transferred.
Meanwhile, claims by the Garda Ombudsman commission to independence from the body it is supposedly overseeing are looking increasingly threadbare as campaigners have revealed that of 111 complaints made about the policing of protests in Mayo, only 7 were forwarded to the Director of Public Prosecutions and none were pursued. As many people have commented this week, the only people likely to face trial over this latest incident are the two women affected.
One of the two women, who has gone public, has called for an independent inquiry and reiterated her lack of faith in the Ombudsman. This call has been supported by Action from Ireland, Shell to Sea, by union officials at NUI Maynooth where she is studying, and by the UCD School of Social Justice. It is hoped that further support for this demand will come over the next week.
