Thousands Oppose NAMA and Cut Backs

Dozens of éirígí activists and supporters participated in the first major protest organised by the Alliance Against Cuts in Dublin on Saturday last (September 19). An estimated 2,500 people assembled at the Garden of Remembrance before making their way to the headquarters of Anglo Irish Bank on St Stephens Green.

A wide range of community groups, political parties, trade unions and lobby groups took part in the demonstration which was called in opposition to both NAMA and cutbacks to public services. The many posters and banners carried by the protesters reflected the wide range of issues that had brought people onto the streets.

The demonstration was addressed by a number of speakers at both ends of the march route. Speaking after the demonstration éirígí chairperson Brian Leeson, who addressed the crowd outside of the Anglo-Irish building said, ‘Today’s demonstration represents a good starting point for the coming months, during which time it will be necessary for people to take to the streets in their tens of thousands.

Leeson continued ‘Next December the Dublin government will attempt to introduce the most savage cutbacks to public expenditure in the history of the state. Working class families, as ever, will be the ones to bear the brunt of these cutbacks. As a result of these cuts we can expect that hospital waiting lists, the dole queues and class sizes will all get bigger. The only thing that will stop these cutbacks are massive, frequent and militant protests by ever larger numbers of people. éirígí would encourage everyone to play their part in stopping the twin madness of NAMA and cutbacks to public services."