'I'll cut your f****n throat,' AAA councillor apologises after threat to anti-water charge protestor

By Liz Dunphy

A Limerick councillor threatened to cut a water charge protester's throat in a Facebook message which has been shared on social media.

John Loftus, an Anti-Austerity Alliance (AAA) councillor will face an inquiry from the party, who are due to meet in Limerick this evening at 7pm, where the party will formulate a plan on the matter. A statement is expected after the meeting.

Greg Doran, a Limerick man who received the threatening message from the councillor, said that he was appalled by the threat.

“I’m proud to be from Limerick. We’ve been working hard to rid Limerick of the ‘Stab City’ reputation, so for an elected representative to use such language is shocking.”

Mr Doran said that he had been a member of the AAA for a number of months, but he is now only involved in the anti-water charge movement and the anti-phosphate campaign in Limerick.

Cllr Loftus sent the message to Mr Doran after they had engaged in a Facebook conversation about the recent deregulation of the AAA, which was removed from the register of political parties this month as they discussed forming a new left-wing political movement with People Before Profit.

“He did not like it when I asked if people who had paid membership fees to the AAA would get a refund,” said Mr Doran.

Cllr Loftus apologised for the remarks on TheJournal.ie, and said that the message was sent in a “moment of madness”.

Cllr Loftus claimed that Mr Doran had made “scurrilous remarks and accusations against members of the AAA,” which had angered the councillor.

The AAA issued a statement broadly condemning the language used by Cllr Loftus. They are expected to issue a further statement this evening.

A commenter on Facebook noted that arguments within Ireland's left-wing movement were saddening and counterproductive.

“I saw what was in that text and it totally saddened me, in my opinion this is all playing straight into this governments [sic] hands, we are all fighting for the same thing and we may all have different ideas on how to do it but arguing among ourselves is not the way. The old saying divide and conquer comes to mind......”