Portlaoise Prison Protest & Photos

Over 100 Republicans / Socialists were involved in a protest outside
portlaoise prison today in support of the Republican POWs who are
currently involved in a dirty protest / hunger strike on E3 landing due to
the suspension of the temporary release (TR) and compassionate release
(CR) programmes.



Bull-horns and whistles were blown by a section of the crowd which drew a
continuous honk of approval and best wishes from the continuous passing
motorists to the annoyance of the large special branch and gardai
presence.

The well attended protest which lasted for two hours was treated to a
moral boosting ballad session, where many joined in to sing along to
rousing ballads. The protest ended with an IRPWA spokesperson giving a
brief outline concerning the current status of the prison protest, and
thanked all those who attended especially those who traveled from Belfast,
Derry, Meath and Dublin. Members of Dublin IRSP were thanked for the
presence and continued support.



In a more sinister development following the protest, long-standing and
well respected Dublin IRSP member Denis Murphy and his nephew who had
earlier took photos of the protest were stopped just outside Portlaoise by
members of the special branch as they were making there way to Mayo to
take part in a Shell to Sea protest that was schedualed for this evening.





The SB demanded that the camera be handed over, and after been threatened
with arrest, it was given over. When the SB man noticed that the memory
chip was missing, he became very agitated and demanded that the memory
chip be produced immediately. He was told that the memory chip was neither
in his or his uncles possession, that a third party who was at the protest
had requested it for safe keeping.




Denis and his nephew were ordered out of there vehicle, where they were
searched at the side of a busy road, where startled motorists looked on in
bewilderment. When the SB found nothing they then spent the next twenty
minutes or so searching the vehicle for the memory chip. After finding
nothing they told them to be on there way. Both Denis and his nephew have
been advised to make a formal complaint about there illegal detention.