Traveller leader arrested in protests over barrier

TRAVELLER leader Martin Collins was among three people arrested during protests yesterday over the blocking of an access road to a north Dublin halting site.

Gardaí made the three arrests on public order offences at the Auburn Avenue roundabout of the M50 motorway. The garda action came after a night of tension, during which gangs of youths stoned passing motorists. A number of cars and an excavator as well as a building at Dunsink Observatory were set on fire.

Earlier yesterday morning, a huge force of gardaí prevented Travellers from blocking the roundabout in protest at the erection of a barrier at the entrance to the halting site in Finglas.

The 400 Travellers affected come from more than 80 families who live on a 3km stretch of road linking Finglas and Castleknock.

They claim Dublin City Council is victimising them by its erection of a wall designed to prevent illegal commercial dumping.

In an early morning statement the Garda Press Office said: “While we recognise that people have a right to protest peacefully, we will not allow any group to disrupt the free movement of traffic to and from the city.”

Pavee Point, of which Mr Collins is assistant director, said he was arrested while taking part in a peaceful protest at the entrance to the Little Chef restaurant at the roundabout.

“Other members of Pavee Point staff were surprised by Martin’s arrest as he was one of 30 individuals who were engaged in a sit-down protest when approximately 20 gardaí encircled the group and pulled him out and carried him to the garda van,” the Pavee Point statement said.

Pavee Point said staff members were “surprised and disappointed at the change in the gardai’s approach to this civil protest.”

The National Consultative Committee on Racism and Interculturalism (NCCRI) called for Mr Collins’ immediate release and for common sense to prevail in Dunsink Lane. It called for the immediate removal of the barrier and for gardaí, local authorities and Travellers to enter into immediate negotiations. The Community Workers Co-operative called for the barrier’s instant removal and supported Travellers’ right to peaceful protest.

The National Women’s Council of Ireland (NWCI) highlighted as questionable the arrest and holding of Mr Collins, who had been “central in all efforts to advance the position of Travellers in Ireland.”

NWCI said: “we are concerned for the health and safety of the people living on the site, who have little or no access to emergency services should they be required.”

The action by the council “appears unnecessary and provocative” and the NWCI urged the council to remove the barrier. Socialist Party TD Joe Higgins said it was fundamentally unjust to impose a collective punishment on an entire community in response to alleged criminal activity by a minority.