Redmond should revoke comments

An Ciarraíach

Yesterday saw one of the largest student protests in a generation take place in Dublin. It was to highlight the 26 county governments plan to hike the third level registration fee to E3,000 and to make a significant cut the maintenance grant for students. The protest was entitled 'Education Not Emigration.'


However the peaceful protest took a turn for the worst as gardaí turned on protesters in an act of state thuggery. The worst part of this situation was not just the fact that students were attacked by armed riot police but the fact that they were also attacked by USI President Gary Redmond. In a statement to the press Redmond asserted that he was “saddened” by the peaceful protest and sanctioned the brutal action of the gardaí by claiming that those attacked were responsible for “destructive and anti-social violence.” Had Redmond faced the gardaí like so many ordinary student did he would have realised that the violence came from the side of the state.





These comments show either naivety on behalf of the USI President or a detachment from the suffering and anger of many students. Ógra Shinn Féin calls on Redmond to revoke his comments and condemn the gardaí for their excessive use of force or else answer to the student body for his actions.