International ‘occupy’ protest movement spreads to Galway

by Denise McNamara

The latest group to join in the international protest which began on Wall Street in the heart of America’s financial district battled gale-force winds and torrential rain in flimsy tents on Eyre Square since they set up camp on Saturday. 

At one stage at the height of the 60km-per-hour winds it looked like the protest would be called off after the main shelter – a gazebo – was blown down on Monday morning. 

The group retired for what was labelled an urgent meeting in Richardson’s pub but at the time of going to press the group, which is living in about six tents, continued to tweet and post messages on Facebook. 

‘OccupyGalway’ joined similar protests in 1,500 cities whose aim is to express “a growing sense of frustration with social inequality and corporate greed”. They also want the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to pull out of Ireland. 

They have set up base near the Browne Doorway with handmade posters erected on the screen around the monument. 

Over the weekend the group had been offered food and the use of toilets and the Gardaí kept harassment from late night revellers to a minimum. They also received donations from a local bookshop to help pass the time. 

The group issued a plea for supplies on their Facebook page at the height of the stormy conditions, with a tarp, sand bags, cardboard, sleeping mats and dry clothes among the requests. 

They have received messages of support from the OccupyBoston group as well as the tented protestors on Dame Street in Dublin. 

Read more in today’s Connacht Sentinel