North Korea Increases Aid to Russia, Mos... Tue Nov 19, 2024 12:29 | Marko Marjanovi?
Trump Assembles a War Cabinet Sat Nov 16, 2024 10:29 | Marko Marjanovi?
Slavgrinder Ramps Up Into Overdrive Tue Nov 12, 2024 10:29 | Marko Marjanovi?
?Existential? Culling to Continue on Com... Mon Nov 11, 2024 10:28 | Marko Marjanovi?
US to Deploy Military Contractors to Ukr... Sun Nov 10, 2024 02:37 | Field Empty Anti-Empire >>
Promoting Human Rights in IrelandHuman Rights in Ireland >>
?Not Clear if Heat Pumps Will Save Money,? Government Adviser Admits Fri Jul 11, 2025 17:00 | Will Jones Heat pumps?are not guaranteed to save households money in the long-term, the Government's Chief Scientific Adviser Professor Dame Angela McLean has conceded.
The post “Not Clear if Heat Pumps Will Save Money,” Government Adviser Admits appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.
How Britain Sold Itself to the World as Paradise Fri Jul 11, 2025 15:14 | Anonymous former BBC staff member The government and the BBC have cooperated for decades in an epic advertising campaign to sell Britain to the world as the best possible place to be. No wonder they all want to come here, writes a former BBC staff member.
The post How Britain Sold Itself to the World as Paradise appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.
Unite Suspends Angela Rayner and Threatens to Abandon Labour Fri Jul 11, 2025 13:03 | Will Jones Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner has been suspended by Unite the union over?the Birmingham bin strike, with the union, one of Labour's biggest backers, also announcing it will review its relationship?with the party.
The post Unite Suspends Angela Rayner and Threatens to Abandon Labour appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.
Why I Changed My Mind About Abortion Fri Jul 11, 2025 11:00 | Oscar Evans Growing up in 90s Britain, Oscar Evans unthinkingly accepted what he was taught: that abortion is a neutral medical procedure. His views have now changed ? and he's horrified by what Labour has done.
The post Why I Changed My Mind About Abortion appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.
UN Human Rights Council Demands Criminalisation of Climate Scepticism Worldwide Fri Jul 11, 2025 09:00 | Ben Pile The UN Human Rights Council has published a report demanding the criminalisation of climate scepticism worldwide. Ben Pile skewers the absurdity of the 'human rights' authoritarians.
The post UN Human Rights Council Demands Criminalisation of Climate Scepticism Worldwide appeared first on The Daily Sceptic. Lockdown Skeptics >>
Voltaire, international edition
Will intergovernmental institutions withstand the end of the "American Empire"?,... Sat Apr 05, 2025 07:15 | en
Voltaire, International Newsletter N?127 Sat Apr 05, 2025 06:38 | en
Disintegration of Western democracy begins in France Sat Apr 05, 2025 06:00 | en
Voltaire, International Newsletter N?126 Fri Mar 28, 2025 11:39 | en
The International Conference on Combating Anti-Semitism by Amichai Chikli and Na... Fri Mar 28, 2025 11:31 | en Voltaire Network >>
|
Joe Duffy Highlights Makeup at Protest
national |
anti-capitalism |
opinion/analysis
Thursday May 20, 2010 19:51 by Gavin Gleeson - Workers Solidarity Movement - Lucy Parsons (Personal Capacity)

Joe Duffy invited two protesters, Holly, and Leah, who were at the protest at the Dáil on Tuesday the 18th of May, on to his Radio show on RTE. These two protesters were contacted because they had been wearing fake blood, in an attempt to highlight that the Gardaí had taken quite violent action, including bludgeoning protesters with steel batons, against people who were fighting against public service cuts - indeed fighting against the very cuts that the Gardaí themselves will suffer. The reason they were called on the show became apparent very quickly. It was to make an example of them, lampoon them and castigate them for their theatrics. The irony of this is that, were they to have remained "respectful protesters" they would never have been on the show at all. Real politics has no place in our media, and clowns like Duffy should know this full well.
Holly and Leah, clearly knew something about the media that many of us haven't copped onto yet. The media are not after a meaningful discussion, and least of all a solution to our problems. They're looking for a circus. They didn't invite anyone on the show to discuss the absurdity of Gardaí defending their own paycuts. They wouldn't even listen to Holly when she repeatedly highlighted how crazy it is for the Gardaí to fight so violently against people who are on their side.
At some point Fintan made an analogy between the Gardaí defense of the Dáil, and of how we would resist people tresspassing into our own houses. Well, the politicians have already done this. They've gone into our homes and stole our paychecks. We've been robbed to prop up bankers and theives.
What would have happened if the Gardaí had not attacked the protesters? It would almost certainly have been a peaceful occupation of the Dáil grounds, no more violent than any of the symbolic occupations of the civil rights movement. The Gardaí owe no real allegiance to the rich bankers or the politicians that are keen on cutting their wages, benefits and pentions, and the only thing that makes such protests violent is the use of violence to stop people who want a fair deal.
Here is a challenge to Joe Duffy and Fintan O'Toole. If you want "seriousness", you can come on Radio Solidarity and talk about politics, rather than what theatrics are appropriate to protests. The invitation is open, but I suspect that you'd feel out of place when not in the circus.
|
View Full Comment Text
save preference
Comments (17 of 17)