Protestors hit out at May Day security plans

A spokesman for an alliance of parties organising a May Day march in Dublin have hit out at the Government "security build-up" to the march.

Another Europe is Possible, the alliance organising a march and carnival from Dame St on May Day is calling on the Government and the gardaí to halt the security build up.

"It is creating unnecessary tension and hype and is an attempt by this deeply unpopular government to intimidate ordinary people from exercising their democratic right to protest," claimed

Rory Hearne, organiser of the May Day march.

“All protests planned for May Day are peaceful. We have extensive contacts with European anti-capitalists and the claim by the gardaí that up to 15,000 demonstrators are coming from outside Ireland is just not true.

“The huge garda build up is completely unnecessary and a waste of tax payers money. We call on the government to put the resources they are planning to spend on May Day into more socially useful and necessary areas like schools and hospitals.

"The threat of violent protests is a myth that the government is trying to perpetuate in order to intimidate people from getting involved with peaceful legitimate protests”