YOU’RE A HYPOCRITE
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THESE are the protesters who sparked criticism over a “disgusting” march on Simon Harris’ home as his wife nursed their newborn baby inside.
The self-styled “Anti Eviction Flying Column” yesterday vowed to continue their demos, which the Tanaiste branded “a new low in Irish politics”. Last night one of the campaigners, Eamon Mcgrath, hypocritically refused to meet our reporters at his own house.
We asked the cab driver, from Kenmare Heights outside Greystones in Co Wicklow, to meet up to defend Sunday’s march.
In a later phone call to our reporter, Mr Mcgrath said: “I have no further comment to make on the statement we have collectively released.
“I couldn’t meet you unless I’ve spoken to the other people in the group. Out of common courtesy I’m ringing you.”
He can be seen with campaign pals wearing a black cap and helping to hold a “Wicklow Says No” banner during the protest.
A group called “Fingal Battalion Direct Action Group” also took part in the demonstration.
Its Facebook page shows photos of balaclava-clad men involved in a separate protest. Mr Harris last night blasted Sunday’s incident at his home. He said: “I think the use of the word protest somehow gives legitimacy to what was, plain and simple, an intimidation.
“An intimidation of my family, my neighbours and my community. “A legitimate protest has a very important role to play in Irish society.
“But what happened to me and my family yesterday, to my wife and to my young baby, to my neighbours, was not protest, it was absolutely not protest.
“It raises a very important question
about the tone of political debate and the tone of discourse – and perhaps media discourse – in this country. Yesterday I opened the papers to see references to the torturing of ministers, to plans to end his career by many, many cuts.
“This sort of emotive language sets out to demonise people.
“There is a way of robustly questioning people, of challenging people, that doesn’t seek to demonise them.
“I don’t think it was a coincidence I was targeted yesterday and that my family was targeted yesterday.”
The only public comment the marchers made yesterday was a statement in which they blasted the “hypocrisy” over their “peaceful” protest compared with the State “failing to say or do anything to prevent physical attacks on the homes of Irish people”. It vowed: “The #bringittotheirdoors will continue and will be focused on all enemies of the Irish working class – where we want, when we want. The people are rising.”
But there was a savage response from politicians who lashed the group for turning up at the home of Mr Harris, his wife Caoimhe and their newborn daughter Saoirse.
Tanaiste Simon Coveney said: “This is the politics of intimidation and not democracy.
“No minister, particularly not a minister with a young family, should be targeted in that way.
“I am delighted people from all political spectrums have been very critical as they should be.
“In some ways I think the less said about this the better because it only encourages people.
“I don’t think it is acceptable a young woman with a newborn baby should be targeted, which is what happened here. Hardly a brave thing to do – to be intimidating people outside their own homes without even knowing the minister was there. I think it is a new low.”
Fianna Fail’s Lorraine Clifford-lee expressed shock and labelled the protesters’ actions “disgusting”.
She said: “Protest at the Dail or his constituency office. Politicians’ homes are off limits.”
The Fingal Battalion Direct Action Group said it stood in solidarity with nurses who were striking over pay but the INMO distanced itself from the organisation.
It tweeted: “The INMO and its members condemn in the strongest possible terms the protest outside Mr Harris’ family home. The protests are completely inappropriate.” However, the group has not been put off by the strong criticism.
A statement sent to media newsdesks said: “We attended his home in solidarity with all the families affected and left scarred by Simon and his party on a daily basis.
“Whether it is with the smear test scandal, patients left on trolleys or many of the other situations his party have put the people of Ireland through.
“We spoke with the Garda and they had no issues with what we were doing. His [Mr Harris’] claims are completely false, at NO stage did we enter his property or obstruct access.”