Not Backing Down

at

This evening.

Scenes from the Take Back The City rally.

The rally started with housing activists and supporters gathering at 34, Frederick Street North, Dublin 1 – from which housing activists were removed last night.

They then started making their way, stopping off at Parnell Monument, to another occupied house on Belvedere Place where activists have been ordered to leave by 6pm tomorrow.

Follow here

Previously: What’s Going On Here?

‘How Can You Justify These Actions?’

Questions For Drew

Pics Rollingnews and Take Back The City

109 thoughts on “Not Backing Down

    1. SOQ

      Eviction. Never has there been one word to align Ireland’s past and future. No nationalism any more, just anger.

          1. scottser

            Ah lads, its not the same thing at all. The activists aren’t tenants for a start, they arent being evicted from a home as such.
            If youre going to occupy somewhere then try and squat it properly maybe?

          2. Darren

            @scottster: No, what they’re doing is more noble than simply living in a place and wanting to stay there.

            There are many people being evicted all the time. These people are protesting on the behalf of all people being evicted. They may not be tenants of this building, but they are many of them tenants, and tenants are regularly being illegally evicted.

    1. SOQ

      Pretty sure most of the SF jack-the-rent TD landlords will also be consulting their medics about financial haemorrhoids by the time this is over.

    1. Col

      Hope so.
      The journal are reporting there’s more than 100 people! Looking at those pics, could even be 112 or 113.

  1. Dr_Chimp

    The mob has spoken. Shame on everyone, except themselves of course.

    Don’t like how your neighbour conducts his business? Or even worse, dont feel lile your neighbour has a social conscience? Get your mates round and just take his stuff. Simples.

  2. McVitty

    I’m not sure what occupying buildings and places achieves. It tends to lose it’s way before long. Even the Occupy movement in Dublin was all over the place by the time they cleared it. It became weird mix of people who stood for core protest – the bank bailout, and soon adapted to include wider protest issues the corrib project (which are valid but need their own movement), by the end it looked like it had picked up some rather unscrupulous characters along the way…edgy antifa and anarchist types. They alienated themselves.

    The case here already looks complex – people are clearly protesting thug-level law enforcement (presumably the owner hired some goons and the Gardai complied with the action) but with the size of that crowd, I would not assume they think that occupation is acceptable protest.

    1. Ollie Cromwell

      I love the smell of proles rising up in the evening.
      Those tough Guards in disguise with their new body armour will be slapping their sticks into their hands in anticipation.
      Slap.
      Slap
      …. (wait for it )
      Slap.

    2. Col

      The point is the housing situation is getting worse and worse for people looking to buy, for people paying ever increasing rents, for people on the verge of homelessness, for people on social housing lists.
      In this type of situation the government is not doing enough.
      It is grotesque that an individual or company would hoard perfectly habitable buildings in the centre of the capital city and let them fall into dereliction
      The eviction is not the main issue..

      1. McVitty

        I know – these issues tend to intersect somewhat but they are very different in nature and need different solutions. To bundle it all together is to make it impossible to resolve.

        The govt should be urged to address all these issues (including the upkeep of an empty dweeling in the city centre – likely an absentee investor property) and while a movement like this is useful in that it demonstrates a level of public anger, some people will look at it and think the problem is whether it’s acceptable to occupy an empty dwelling (even if for protests sakes) and have a right to be there – safety considerations alone would suggest no.

        And if this is a catch-all housing protest movement that seeks to address housing affordability via homelessness and carrying all the fringe social-justice elements, it seems far-reaching and in need of better organisation. Further, there is no public representation to be seen yet SF, the populists of the day have been sizing up homeless issues as something to be used as a political platform to run on. That should cause some public anger too…all in all, a bit of a mess…

        1. Col

          I disagree that they need different solutions. The solution to all is to increase supply.
          And the government will continue to do nothing until they think it’ll effect votes. A movement like this will make them think it will.

          1. McVitty

            Well, you have people who do not engage in the homeless services on one side – people who are not from here and have no legal status and people who do but are without family support and you also have have people with chronic mental health and/or addiction issues there somewhere too. On the other side are the people who use homeless services – be it hostels/shelters or hotels, fair to assume they don’t have such complicated situations.

            I’m just saying there is no single policy and the homeless number ~9,650 is not entirely explained by housing shortages and rising rents. Housing shortage is certainly a problem but the policies that result in the completion of more houses will not necessarily solve the issue of rising homlessness. I live in Vancouver where the building codes are loose, construction is abundant yet homelessness is at a more advanced stage than it is in Dublin. Here, homelessness clusters around homeless services, out of the public sight. Entire streets of tents. Recently 170 people were cleared from a tent city. If not addressed, Dublin is on a similar path.

          2. SOQ

            Housing is the single biggest issue of our time. It is not just those unfortunates living in hotels or those in need of social housing, it is right across the social spectrum and those who rent are just running hard to stand still.

            I suspect main reason for the inaction is that a lot of people are also benefiting from this situation, including the state via 50% tax returns. But the frustration comes into sharp focus when there are empty buildings lying all around the cities because of greed.

            Building more is fine but a ‘use it of lose it’ policy would show that the government are serious. They need to be very careful as to what they are awakening here because the hostility towards bailiffs is part of our DNA and images of goons in balaclavas is very provocative.

            Arguing if this is the best way of going about it means you need to define what ‘it’ is and in a way, the more vague the better. The entire property market is a scam and when you have honest decent hard working people struggling to pay the obscene rents let alone save, something has to give.

  3. Ollie Cromwell

    Let’s face it Drew is the man.
    A big new outside broom to sweep up the dregs of our police and deliver a wake-up call to the citizens that this is the new force in town

    1. ReproButina

      “Our police”. so you’re Irish today? Was it Harps on the coin toss this morning?

      If Drew can get the Gardaí tackling criminals instead of acting as security for landlords and corporations I’ll be much happier. He could start by tackling the growing crack problem in Ballymun.

    2. McVitty

      I recall when he was asked about the greatest reform areas he sees for the Garda Siochana, he replied that IT infrastructure was the main thing – so it’s true, you can arrive here on a plane or train and become 100% Irish in a matter of days!

  4. Ollie Cromwell

    Slap.
    Slap.
    Slap.
    I’d say entitled Richard Boyd-Barret will be top of their hit list.
    “C’mon lads let’s go crack a few skulls.”.

      1. Dub Spot

        +1

        “The Nurse, The Screens!” candidates are out in force as Brexit collapses, Trump withdraws, and the rest…

    1. Aeneas

      +1 re the trolls.

      You asked fro improvement suggestions some time ago. A filter to screen out known trolls would be wonderful

        1. Janet, I ate my avatar

          unless you get some kick out if the jibber jabber?
          honestly I know you think a certain level of trolling helps debate but you have lost sight of healthy

          1. Brother Barnabas

            wit, insights, use of words… one of the best contributors

            (and while we all claim to be hot, janet’s the only one that we actually know is for sure. that gives her added standing).

          2. Bertie Blenkinsop

            Agreed, big fan of Janet’s contributions and positivity too and I speak without agenda as I’m helplessly in love with Mildred.

          3. Freedom

            so, apart from wit, insights, positivity, use of words and impossible good looks, Janet has nothing to offer?

            ( other than a trio of fiercely loyal virtual friends)

      1. Freedom

        you’re a one note commenter SOQ

        Gay man this or Belfast that – it’s only interesting the first time

        Whereas take the best trolls- they are repetitive too but often come up with some fun new angle on an issue.
        I really think anyone who takes a troll seriously Eg. Nigel with the Clampers troll- is in far more need of assistance

        1. millie st murderlark

          Again, aside from bitterness and negativity, what exactly do you contribute here darling? How very ‘one-note’ of you.

          1. Freedom

            while the surfeit of attention is flattering, and musing on the comments of some of the lads on here, I’d say there is the added incentive that you’re gamey as fupp, that all said, please stop stalking me, freak

          2. millie st murderlark

            Think you might be right Jan.

            Freedom, I know it stings, buddy, but I’m just not into you. I like that you made an effort though xoxo

          3. millie st murderlark

            That’s what comes of loving a heartbreaker, I suppose. It’s a tough job but someone has to do it.

            But I’ll take your gamey comment and raise you a cheeky wink ;)

        2. Janet, I ate my avatar

          Except Clampers is no troll, I may not agree with him but he’s mostly respectful and just happens to have a different point of view

          1. Freedom

            Janet while he’s a little more polished than other one dimensional calf scours like giggidy, cian, rotide or jus3DEGREESlike, DEGREES!,

            Clampers is definitely a troll

            For example go and look at that thread from yesterday where he demands an “apology” from Nigel , if that’s not enough check out the one where he’s ranting about Serena Williams and then demands to know when he had a “meltdown”

            Is there a bigger troll on the site?

          2. scottser

            ‘Is there a bigger troll on the site?’

            well all you’ve done is stir poo on here. do you genuinely have anything to add outside of insults?

  5. Otis Blue

    It’s from a different time and context in Dublin but the 1970 Hume St occupation might be of interest.

    https://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/homes-and-property/hume-street-marked-turning-point-1.186981

    Here’s a young Marian Finucane as an Architecture Student being interviewed

    https://www.rte.ie/archives/exhibitions/894-house-and-home/139159-hume-street-occupation/

    Who knows, maybe one of tonight’s protestors will go on to become a high earning RTE presenter?

    1. Otis Blue

      Fun fact:

      The developer in the archive footage is none other than John Corcoran who went on to co-found Paddy Power Bookmakers.

        1. Otis Blue

          Sorry to tell ya John Bull, but neither hovel nor bog have formed any part of my existence.

          Round my way its full of the Queen’s subjects who have bailed on the Empire.

          Damn immigrants, etc, etc

  6. Ollie Cromwell

    Disgraceful Corbynistas abusing JRM in front of his upset kids.
    Jezza’s pond life beginning to crawl.

  7. Dermie

    Brilliant idea! Block the traffic for an hour or so. The people who were on the fence about your “protest” and weren’t sure if you were Tossers now know. You’re TOSSERS. Well done to all involved

  8. Giggidygoo

    FG shill and troll department back from the summer break.
    The end is nigh for the boys Varadkar, Murphy, Harris and their cheerleaders, Martin, Cowen, Ross, Zappone, and the other Harris.

      1. Freedom

        is such vulgarity really necessary?

        He’s annoying but why can’t you argue with him on substance? Are you unable?

        1. Ollie Cromwell

          Actually that one made me laugh.A sense of humour is essential for wading through all the virtue signalling on here.
          You know – we demand action on the housing problem but we don’t want to discuss one of the factors driving it because talk of immigration is waycist.

          1. Freedom

            Maybe it did but if so it sort of proves my point- you’re looking for a vulgar reaction to your own abject self- abasement and are infrequently disappointed by the unsuspecting myxmatosis-ridden, inbred, inward-looking maggots-infested rabbits who wander into your lures.

            Talk of immigration is irrelevant in the wider scheme of things. Immigration here is so small – it’s not like the UK where there is a lot of people coming in all the time. You know that of course.

            The belligerence of you and your ilk is due for a sharp reckoning soon I think but enjoy your fascist day out in the sun however brief it be.

          2. Ollie Cromwell

            There you go.
            Mention immigration and you immediately get called a fascist.
            Welcome to Generation Noise-Cancelling Headphones.

        2. Miggeldy

          +1 Freedom, no circumstance makes that genre of comment acceptable. The shocking part is that it hasn’t been deleted. Yet comment on a certain Z-list accountant and the post barely sees daylight…

  9. Clara Vaughan

    Well done to the protesters highlighting the issue of homelessness, vulture landlords and unnecessary garda force…. shame on rte not reporting the story properly .. shame on the government, people are sick of the overpriced, tax haven google city… SHAME on you leo… how do you sleep at night?

  10. nellyb

    Right on, kids! You pushed through same sex marriage, you repealed the 08th and it looks like you’ll catalyse resolution of homelessness. Our future is bright, folks, we’re in good hands. And we’ve done a good parenting job too, we should give ourselves a hearty pat on the back :-)

  11. Trueblueterry

    No mention of the individual arrested with a knife, the fire brigade that was forced to call out to a false alarm set off by protesters and thereby potentially putting others at risk, or the racist comments being directed at an individual on Facebook who may or may not have been on of the Gardai in attendance at the eviction.

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