GALWAY GARDAI PURSUE NUIG DEMONSTRATION PROTAGONISTS

Date Published: 16-Apr-2012

Galway Gardaí say they are actively pursuing the protagonists behind Saturday's security breach outside the Labour party conference in NUI Galway.

Hundreds of demonstrators pulled down barriers and forced their way pass Garda lines up to the doors of the Bailey Allen Hall.

However they did not gain access to the venue, which was locked down for a time.

Gardaí say there were no arrests and no injuries - although there are reports pepper spray was used during the incident.

Thousands of protestors took part in a march to the Labour conference on Saturday, with a minority choosing to break security lines.

The majority of participants were opponents of the household charge, while others demonstrated against septic tank charges as well as education cuts and the EU fiscal treaty.

A Labour TD has branded as thugs the protestors who broke through the Garda barriers .

Deputy Aodhan O'Riordan says the scenes were unacceptable:

However U-L-A TD Richard Boyd Barrett denies there was a thuggish element involved in Saturday's protest at NUIG.