Limerick woman says she won't pay €500 fine for her part in Everard protest 

Sarah Everard: Metropolitan Police officer Wayne Couzens has pleaded guilty to her kidnap and rape and has accepted responsibility for her killing.

A Limerick woman, who received a €500 fine for taking part in a protest against violence towards women, has said she will not be paying it.

Aislinn O'Keeffe was one of less than 30 people who gathered on Limerick’s Thomas St on March 18, following the murder of Sarah Everard, a 33-year-old marketing executive, who disappeared while walking home in London on March 3. 

Similar protests were held in cities across both Ireland and England, following the murder.

Metropolitan Police officer Wayne Couzens has since pleaded guilty to Ms Everard's kidnap and rape. 

He has also accepted responsibility for the killing, but medical reports are awaited, with the next plea hearing due to take place on July 9.

Ms O’Keeffe says she will not be paying the fine.

I'm challenging the fine. I'm not going to pay, because I don't think it's fair. I think it's a misapplication of the law.

"So, I will be challenging this along with ROSA who are going to support me,” she explained.

ROSA is self-described as a pro-choice, socialist feminist activist group named after Rosa Parks and Rosa Luxemburg.

Ms O’Keeffe claims that initially, a number of gardaí approached the group.

“They were quite supportive of the protests and indicated that they didn't have any issues,” she said.

However, Ms O’Keeffe says two gardaí approached her again and took her details, as well as issuing her with a warning.

A spokesperson for An Garda Síochána confirmed that gardaí attended the scene of a demonstration on March 18,  at 3.55pm on Thomas St, Co Limerick.

However, they added that “no offences were disclosed". 

The student, who says the €500 fine would be a massive financial blow, added that at all times during the protest, people were socially distanced, and wore masks.

I do think it's very unfair and I don't understand why a very small, very safe protest is being targeted. 

"It is raising an issue of huge public importance, what the UN is calling a shadow pandemic, violence against women, which is a massive problem in Ireland and around the world,” Ms O’Keeffe said.

“Why is this being targeted? There were a number of other protests where people weren't wearing masks or socially distancing. 

"And then, of course, there is Golfgate. You also have to take into account the democratic rights to protest, as long as it is done in a safe way,” she added.

Ms O’Keeffe says she has received huge support since she broke the news of the fine, and added that even if she knew the punishment was coming, she would have gone ahead with the protest anyway.

“I think people are really disgusted and shocked. 

"I think many people feel that it's an abuse of the legislation that was put in place to battle Covid,” she said.

I think it was such an important issue that had to be highlighted, I wouldn't change anything. We were so careful and so safe. And nobody got Covid after it. 

As it stands, the fine has gone unpaid. So I am expecting a summons for the fine. I am seeking legal advice on how to challenge,” she added.