Council defiant after protesters storm chamber

We will not succumb to mob rule.

That was the defiant message from the Lord Mayor of Cork yesterday who refused to retract his “mob” description of protesters who stormed a meeting of Cork City Council and occupied the chamber.

Gardaí were called to restore order after anti-household tax protesters interrupted proceedings by shouting and jeering.

Fine Gael mayor Cllr John Buttimer suspended the meeting and several councillors left the chamber before members of the Cork Campaign Against Household and Water Taxes made their way into the room.

Three protesters took over the plinth normally occupied by the mayor, the city manager, and the meeting administrator.

Gardaí were called and cleared the chamber. Five gardaí remained outside as the meeting resumed.

“Intimidation and bullying will not close Cork City Council. Democracy has to be our bedrock,” Mr Buttimer said.

Party colleague Cllr Laura McGonigle said: “I’ve always enjoyed being a public representative and taken the rough with the smooth but tonight was horrendous.

“While everyone is entitled to protest, I felt extremely intimidated and unsafe in our democratically-elected chamber.”

But Socialist Party Mick Barry, a leading figure in the anti-household tax campaign, described the mayor’s ‘mob’ comment as “disgraceful”.

“It is an arrogant and contemptuous term and should be withdrawn,” he said

“The crowd had a point to make and they made it effectively. This was a bold action which I fully support. The campaign is proud of the actions of all our people.”

However, another campaign figure The Cork Campaign Against Household and Water Taxes distanced herself from the protesters’ action. Spokesperson Maggie Goggin, who could not attend the meeting, said: “We had not anticipated that would happen and it was not encouraged. If we had known it was going to happen, we would have discouraged it.

“Ours was meant to be a peaceful public demonstration. I would condone people’s right to protest but not to stop the meeting of democratically elected people.”

Sinn Féin Cllr Chris O’Leary, refused to condemn the protest.

“I condemn the state people are in at the moment,” he said.

“I look at people who are barely surviving, people who’ve always paid their taxes, people who’ve bailed this country out, and they’re in a desperate state.”

The protest was just a “glimpse” of opposition on the ground, Mr Barry said.