Reclaim the Streets

The Joy of Reclaiming Streets
The first feeling at any Reclaim The Streets is a strange one for someone accustomed to the plodding, predictability of your usual lefty "protest".

It's... Carmageddon!
We get to live with the delays and the brunt of pollution, road accidents and traffic jams. So it is in our interests to press for change. We must press for transport that is people and environment friendly. 

Politics of the car
With growing traffic jams, longer journeys to work and increasing road deaths Aileen O'Carroll makes a contribution to the debate about how to get out of this mess.

Trains, planes & automobiles
The Irish rail network is now close to disintegration according to CIE's own chief executive Michael McDonnell.

The Plight of Carrickmines Castle
Since August 2002 the site of the 800 year-old castle has been occupied by a group of activists in an attempt to stop the extension of the M50 will almost totally obliterate and eventually condemn to memory the site, which is of vast archaeological significance

Reclaim the Streets

Bin tax and Reclaim the Streets protests link up in Dublin [with pics]
Monday evening in Dublin saw a Reclaim the Streets demonstration joining up with an anti-bin tax march demanding the release of two imprisoned activists

Critical Mass and Reclaim The Streets Car culture becomes a focus for these two types of demonstration: not because we are all so anti-car, but because cars are only the most visible and tangible representatives of an inhuman consumer society Sept 22nd 2002 - RTS on Baggot St. a great success [with pictures] Over 1,000 people took part in the four-hour party. Despite attempts by the Gardai to whip up a panic because the organisers refused to meet with them in advance of the party the day was trouble free and very good humoured. August 5th 2000- Report of Reclaim the Streets action With no immediate or obvious leadership our motley crew of 50 or so activists and entertainers led off by a man with much skill on the juggling fire brand block the road May 6th 2002 - Dublin Reclaim the Streets attacked by Gardai [with photos] It was expected that this would be the largest Dublin Reclaim the Streets to date. What was not so expected was that by the end of the day 24 people would have been arrested and over a dozen hospitalised by a police riot on Dame street. Large protest in Dublin against police brutality [with photos] Thousands joined a rally against police brutality outside Pearse St police station on Thursday night. Garda investigating Garda After the Garda complaints complaints of excessive police violence at the RTS protest, it was announced that an independent inquiry was being set up to supposedly investigate the events of May 6th. September 22nd 2001 -Beach ball on O'Connell st [with pictures] Saturday was Car Free day throughout Europe, but not really in Dublin. So in Dublin a large group of cyclists took part in a Critical Mass cycle ride and people played beach ball on O'Connell st.

Why Reclaim the Streets? What are the ideas behind 'Reclaiming the streets'? Road Rage Wrecks Critical Mass in Dublin June 2002 One man was taken to hospital and at least two bikes were destroyed. As one guy who came down from his apartment said "I couldn't believe what I was seeing &endash; that guy tried to kill ye"

PDF file of Reclaim our Streets Articles include Reclaim our Streets/ Critical Mass The Politics of the car How one RTS was organised Stuck in a traffic jam every day? Anarchism & Environmental Survival

Land use

Dublin Dockland to be developed - Who will benefit?
The Dublin Docklands, from Ringsend to Sheriff Street, are starting a very major re-development which will take place over the next fifteen years. Already the property developers are in the area buying up the land, a lot of which is owned by state and semi-state companies.

The Battle for Kinsale
The Old Head of Kinsale in Co. Cork is an area of renowned beauty. It has been enjoyed as an amenity by locals and by people from outside Kinsale who have heard of the traditional walk out along the Old Head to the lighthouse at the tip of the headland

July 2nd 2001 - Report On 'Old Head of Kinsale' Protest [with pictures] A long time public amenity used by walkers and ramblers, access to the Old Head was stopped over a year ago when 'the new owners' of the headland deemed the area to be private property. Yesterday was the first real attempt to reclaim the Old Head area for the public. It was a huge success! July 20th 2001 - The Battle of Kinsale It was glorious we walked the Old Head as we had for generations men, women and children and dogs of course, laughing at the indignation of the outraged golfers, basking in the sunshine and lead occasionally by a fiddler July 28th - The Second 'Old Head of Kinsale' Protest It was clear to many of the protesters that the Gardai were engaging in surveillance of protesters throughout the proceedings. A number of plains clothes Special Branch officers mingled with the crowd August 26th - Kinsale protest - Three Nil Another beautiful sunny day and another small victory for the campaign to free the Old Head of Kinsale March 31 2002 - People Power Wins At Old Head of Kinsale Well over a hundred activists and protesters braved the elements, hostile private security, newly erected fencing and barbed wire at the Old Head of Kinsale on Easter Sunday to score yet another important victory for free public access to the Old Head of Kinsale Walk. Old Head of Kinsale freed for an afternoon (July 27 2002) The owners of the exclusive Golf course, who are attempting to deny public access, had mounted a concerted media campaign in the week running up to the picnic to blacken the name of the pinicers and undermine the protest.

The Old Head of Kinsale - Round 5 Mass direct action has shown that we will not tolerate the violation of our fundamental right to roam. The right of people to access the beauty of the planet, to breathe the air, drink the water and walk the land free of hindrance is not for sale.