[ad_1]
Four people have already appeared in district courts in Cork and Kildare in connection with the protest event against Saturday’s blockade in Cork city, and another person is due to appear in court in Kerry.
At least 450 people are estimated to have attended the protest in Cork city center on Saturday afternoon, despite repeated calls not to do so for fear of spreading Covid-19. Many of the attendees were not wearing masks.
There were no incidents at the event, which was organized by a group called the Popular Convention, but the Gardaí had put in place what it called an “extensive and comprehensive police plan” and a strong Garda presence with more than 200 members was evident before. during and after the event.
It later emerged that two men were arrested in Cork City, one for violating the Health Act 31 (a) (9) of 1947 and the other for offenses against public order.
Gardaí later said that the two men who had been arrested in Cork were charged and appeared before the Cork City District Court on Saturday night.
A man and a woman arrested in Kildare and suspected of being en route to the event were charged and appeared in Naas District Court, also on Saturday night.
A man arrested in Co Kerry, again on suspicion of traveling to the event, was charged and released.
He is scheduled to appear in Killarney District Court on March 16. A man arrested in North Cork was released and issued a Notice of Fixed Payment.
The event organizers’ spokeswoman, Diarmaid O’Cadhla, and others who addressed the crowd on Saturday, emphasized that it was a peaceful event.
Several speakers stated that no laws were being broken and that there was a constitutional right to protest.
Event attendees heard repeated claims that the lockdown was unnecessary and that there was little evidence that its benefits outweighed its downsides.
The government was also repeatedly criticized for its response to the pandemic, with one speaker claiming that there had been “manipulation of the figures from the beginning”, while Paddy Bullman, from East Cork, said, “All they wanted was preventing it from spreading was the truth. “
Others referred to job losses, companies collapsing or under financial pressure, the cost in mental health and the isolation many feel as a result of lockdowns imposed due to the spread of the coronavirus.
O’Cadhla said she felt nothing but respect for frontline care workers, but said the “scaremongering” continued.
However, there was condemnation of the event afterwards, particularly given the risk of spreading Covid-19 at a time when the incidence rate of the virus in Cork is the lowest in the country.
Among those who criticized the event was former IMO President Ronan Boland, who said that “anyone who attends (let alone organize) such an event does not respect frontline health workers.”
Another protest meeting is planned in Dublin on St. Patrick’s Day.
[ad_2]