Thousands attend Irish Water protest in Limerick
Thousands of anti-water charge protestors hit the streets of Limerick today to deliver their message to government "NO WAY WE WONT PAY".
Up to 6,000 people converged at City Hall before marching through the city in a show of strength against water charges and water meter installations. They then burned their Irish Water customer packs in barrels at the feet of a man who wore a Michael Noonan mask to portray the government.
PROTEST leaders inviting the people of Limerick to burn their Irish Water forms today. @LimerickVoice #irishwater pic.twitter.com/IU1XME33LA
— Jessica Courtney Leen (@Jess_C_Leen) October 25, 2014
Former Mayor, John Gilligan, said he would not be paying the charges.
"The turnout is fabulous. Thousands and thousands of ordinary people have come out, and the message is quiet clear; we have been taxed to the hilt, we're not going to accept water tax, and this message has got to go through to the government," Mr Gilligan said.
He accused the Government of "playing for time" by delaying the deadline for Irish Water customers to fill out forms for payment of water charges.
"(The Government) would want to sit down and get real about this. They cannot carry this on their back into the next general election. If they do, they will not simply be turning off the water, we will be turning off the Government, and it is that clear, and that is they stage that is coming from here'" he added.
More than 2,000 people have gathered at City Hall for an anti-water charges protest pic.twitter.com/MM2sYldvPi
— Limerick Leader / Limerick Live (@Limerick_Leader) October 25, 2014
The Independent councillor said he was "absolutely confident" the charges would be defeated.
"Twenty odd years ago I fought water tax in Limerick City and we won it. We will win it this time as well, I am absolutely confident of that. It has got to go."
Mr Gilligan said "threatening" people with court or loss of water if they did not pay the water tax would guarantee a change of government when voters go to the polls in 18 months time.
In a direct message to the current coalition parties, he said: "We did it with Fianna Fáil when they got so crooked they could no longer justify themselves. They were almost wiped out (in the last election). Fine Gael, Labour Party, take a long hard look at what's happening here and around the streets of this country, in towns and villages and cities and you will know you're number is up."
Thousands gather for anti-water charges protest in Limerick http://t.co/CytXMmEMk6 pic.twitter.com/NUvbC5SOAl
— RTÉ News (@rtenews) October 25, 2014
Protest organiser, Cian Prendiville, Anti Austerity Alliance party councillor, told protestors: "We will not let (Irish Water) turn off anybody's water. If they try to turn the pressure down, we will turn the pressure back up on the politicians. Anything they can do, we can undo."
He told the massive crowd that today's protest "has to be the beginning, not the end".
"We are about organising from here to go into the communities to organise in your community a non payment campaign; to organise public meetings; organise to fight the meters (installation) if they haven't put them in yet; organise to build mass non payment."
The AAA also went around the crowd offering to sign up volunteers to help spread the word about their campaign.
One protestor said: "We shouldn't have to pay something we are already paying for. I refuse to pay it. This is bully boy tactics by the Government. They can't take on one million people, they know that."
Another added: "I'm not willing to pay the charges and hopefully this will make a difference. I'm prepared to go to court if I have to."
