In response to the raid by the Gardai Special Branch on the home of GAAW member & spokesperson, Niall Farrell, on Thursday last, Galway’s local peace group intends to protest outside the homes of government TDs in Galway beginning tomorrow, Sunday. During the raid on Mr Farrell’s home 3 computers were seized, one of which is urgently needed by Dr Farrell - Mr Farrell’s wife - for her work.

The family home of Labour TD Derek Nolan will be targeted at 1pm tomorrow.

Mr Farrell told the media that the raid on his home was “deeply political”:

“This was a political raid on my family’s home, it was a direct attack by the government on the peace movement, which has consistently opposed for a decade Ireland’s complicity in the illegal “war on terror”- a war that has led to the killing of more that 1million innocent people. I wish to make it clear that we will not allow the government parties to intimidate us. If they think they can use their political police to violate the sanctity of our homes, then we will bring our protests to the doorsteps of the politicians in Galway West whose government has sanctioned this assault on our human rights.

This political harassment is ominously reminiscent of the FG/Labour coalition of the 1970s.

We would call on people who support our right to peaceful protest to assemble tomorrow at 1pm at the entrance to the Riverside Estate on the Tuam Road Galway, to march to the family home of Labour TD Derek Nolan.

“We would remind people in Galway, city and county, that although the Gardai are under-resourced valuable police time is wasted on harassment of political opponents of the government.
Only in the last week we have seen a vicious attack on an elderly couple in Co. Galway. In the Mervue area of Galway city, syringes were found in an area where local children play. When the Gardai were contacted by concerned parents they were told the Gardai hadn’t the resources to stop junkies shooting-up in this children’s play area. But they have the resources to carry out a political raid on my home!"

Mr. Farrell: “At Dep Nolan’s home we will call on the deputy to demand that the head of the Republic’s “thought police”, Minister Alan Shatter, return immediately the property seized from our home last Thursday. And to demand that all such acts of harassment and intimidation of the peace movement cease immediately.

What was particularly disgusting about this raid that although 3 members of my family are females – & that the raid occurred early in the morning when the women of the house were in bed – there were no female Gardai involved. This caused particular distress.
It became clear to us that this raid had nothing to do with the suspicion that any crime had been carried out by any member of the Farrell household, it was rather a deeply political raid...

Throughout the almost 4 hour raid of our home we were held incommunicado. We were not allowed to see the actual search warrant and we still have not seen it. The Gardai forced their way into our home as though they were above the law... In the view of the GAAW this attack on our group has all the hallmarks of a vindictive and poisonous Labour Party whose support is in serious decline.

It is the attention of GAAW to make an official complaint to the Garda ombudsman. After 2 previous experiences of this body we do not expect any independent examination of these very political police."