PR: Court Refuses to View Video Evidence
30.05.1994
In an unprecedented and, obviously, politically motivated move, Mr. Justice O’Buachalla yesterday usurped the Constitutional right of Irish citizens to peaceful public protest. Refusing to view video evidence offered by Youth Defence to show that their picket on the clinic of Brendan Howlin caused no obstruction to passer-bys, Injustice O’Buachall instead accepted the perjurous evidence of several state witnesses. In an obviously rehearsed manner, the State witnesses lied by saying that Youth Defence members chanted “Howlin is a murderer.” The video-recording of the picket would have proven this to be untrue.
The notorious Public Order Act, which has been condemned by both national and international civil rights organisations, was used once more to silence those who stand on the frontline in defence of unborn children. It is a sinister move on behalf of the authorities to ban peaceful protests is advance of the opening of abortion slaughter-houses in this country. In the USA, when the peaceful demonstrators were banned by law, several people felt pushed into using more radical methods to halt the killings
It is undoubtedly a foolhardy move to outlaw peaceful public protest. In the words of the late John F. Kennedy:
“When you make peaceful protest impossibe, you make violent protest inevitable”
Youth Defence will continue in the use of peaceful public protest, regardless of State intimidation. The weakest of the weak must be protected.
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