Civil liberties threatened by aftermath of Sept 11

A civil liberties lobby have today launched a campaign expressing concern about a general clampdown on civil liberties. The group says the clampdown has begun here following September 11events.

The Public Order Act which is now being used extensively against protestors was criticised by Global Resistance who stated: "The political establishment are using the ‘war on terrorism’ to create an atmosphere whereby political dissent is being curtailed.

"In India, the international writer Arundhati Roy has been imprisoned for a day for protesting. In Turkey, Noam Chomsky’s publisher has been threatened with imprisonment. Anti-globalisation protestors who travel Barcelona this weekend have been threatened with ‘anti-terrorism charges’ for activities they engage in during the protests."

The pattern they say is also being followed in Ireland. Two protestors were arrested at an anti-war protest at the US embassy and Kieran Allen, a member of the Steering Committee of the Irish Anti-War Movement was subsequently fined €1,100 for taking part in the protest.

On a separate occasion 14 protestors were arrested at a protest against an international conference on privatisation at the Burlington Hotel. The first of these protestors, Rory Hearne, will be tried in court tomorrow.

The Public Order Act was originally proposed in the Dail as a measure to deal with non-political disturbances on housing estates and late night disturbances. But what Global Resistance describes as 'draconian clauses' in the act, give the police the right to disperse groups of people and are now they say being used against political demonstrations.

"Civil liberties will only be defended if people are vigilant and pressure is brought to bear on the DPP to stop using the Public Order Act against protestors."