Students’ fight against fees continues

FORTY THOUSAND students, including large numbers of Sinn Féin and Ógra activists, took to the streets on Wednesday, November 3rd, in a national mobilisation by the Union of Students in Ireland to highlight the proposed increase in registration fees.
Buoyed by the news of Pearse Doherty’s success in his court case, republican students from UCC, CIT, NUIG, DCU, Athlone IT, NUI Maynooth and elsewhere added their numbers to the rally.
Following the main protest a number of students occupied the ground floor of the Department of Finance, accompanied by a protest. They were then forcibly removed by the Garda Riot Squad. In subsequent scuffles, gardaí used excessive force on protesters, resulting in numerous injuries.
Curiously, USI president Gary Redmond thought it of more importance to condemn the legitimate peaceful protest at the Department of Finance, and ignored the ugly conduct of the gardaí, adding insult to injury for those who had been assaulted.
An Ógra spokesperson said later:
“These comments show either naivety on behalf of the USI president or a detachment from the suffering and anger of many students. I call 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.
“It is completely unacceptable that the Government is planning on raising registration fees. Such an increase would put third-level education beyond the reach of many low-income families.”

If you’re aged 16 to 29 and want to join Ógra Shinn Féin, email [email protected]