Activists will hand embassy staff an official letter denouncing what they describe as the Irish government’s “blatant attack on the democratic right to protest.”
Critics warn that activists and leftist politicians have become the target of politically motivated arrests in Ireland, while corrupt bankers and politicians who brought the state's economy to its knees face impunity.
Among those arrested and detained by police are three representatives of Ireland’s Anti-Austerity Alliance, including socialist TD (MP) Paul Murphy.
The four Dublin men were arrested on Monday in connection with an incident at a community protest in the country's capital last November involving Ireland’s minister for social protection.
A criminal investigation regarding the alleged false imprisonment of Minister Joan Burton at the protest is ongoing.
Burton's car was reportedly obstructed by protestors for two hours during the demonstration. Additionally, members of her team say they were assaulted as police escorted them from the scene.
Paul Murphy says Joan Burton 'hammed up' what happened in Jobstown: http://t.co/IHlEJoZgde http://ift.tt/195Uq84
— TheJournal.ie (@thejournal_ie) February 9, 2015
The demonstration was organized by members of Ireland’s anti-water charges movement, which opposes the Irish government’s water utilities policy. Campaigners warn the charges are a veiled austerity tax that many Irish citizens can't afford to pay.
The arrest of Murphy and his fellow campaigners on Monday provoked outrage across Ireland. After roughly eight hours of questioning, the men were released without charge.
Allegations waged against Murphy and his fellow campaigners include the false imprisonment of Burton and her colleagues. Murphy insists the charges are baseless and “complete nonsense.”
Following his release from police custody, Murphy said the arrests were politically motivated and were deliberately orchestrated to damage Ireland’s growing anti-water charges movement.
The TD for Dublin South-West said the political maneuver specifically targeted the Irish leftist coalition, the Anti-Austerity Alliance, of which he is a member.
10 Gardaí came to arrest a 16yr old in a dawn raid on behalf of Joan Burton today. #PoliticalPolicing
— Paul Reynolds (@PaulFedayn) February 10, 2015
On Tuesday, a further four people – including a 16-year-old boy – were arrested in connection with November's west Dublin rally.
Commenting on the development, Murphy said the anti-water charges activists were “treated to the same heavy handed tactics” as he and his fellow campaigners were on Monday.
An additional 33 arrests are reportedly planned by Irish police as part of their investigation into Minister Burton’s alleged false imprisonment. Some media outlets report the number could be as high as 40.
Socialist Party TD Joe Higgins said it was “outrageous” that anti-water charges activists were hauled from their beds by police at dawn.
“This is completely over the top political policing. The government should answer for it,” he said.
Ireland’s minister for agriculture, Simon Coveney, denied that Monday’s arrests were politically motivated. When probed on Paul Murphy’s detention, he claimed police were simply doing their job.
Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny declined to comment when questioned on accusations of political policing. He told the Irish Examiner, however, that Ireland’s police “run their operations completely independent of the government.”
Higgins dismissed Kenny’s perspective, warning that the recent spate of dawn arrests are “unprecedented” in the history of Irish policing, and will lead to outrage and disgust across the nation.
The Socialist Party TD described the water charges as “an odious and hated tax” that the people of Ireland will not accept. He believes the dawn arrests will serve to intensify Ireland’s wider anti-water charges movement.
The Irish government's water charges form part of its wider debt re-payment strategy in the wake of a grueling bank bailout that cost Irish citizens approximately €70 billion (US$79 billion).
Wednesday’s demonstration outside the Irish embassy at London’s Grosvenor Place is due to begin at 4 p.m. local time. It is being organized by the Socialist Party of England and Wales.
The party said the continued persecution of political activists in Ireland will be “met with a wave of protest internationally.”
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