Fine Gael think-in blockade

What a day! For the past week or so both the SU here in NUIG and FEE Galway have been planning a protest against the rise in registration fees, recent cuts to the grant and the proposed reintroduction of third level education fees outside the Fine Gael annual party think-in which was this year in The Radisson Hotel here in Galway.
Both student organisations agreed to work together to create the strongest impact possible and I have to say it was a complete success!
The aim was to obstruct the front entrance as best we could, as Fine Gael's policies are sure to obstruct young people from accessing the education the need to get by in the world by any means necessary.
FEE decided to make some lock ons and physically block the road at the entrance this was done the week previously.

We all convened at Aras NaMacLeinn at mid day and prepared all the placards/banners etc and marched down to the Radisson along with the cycle soundsystem which I was riding, bangin out jungle along the way.
When we got to the Radisson, there were a few people there protesting against the closure of Roscommon general hospital who were brilliant comrades and whose numbers grew over the next few hours. There were a handful of Garda there and they seemed unconcerned when we assembled across the road with banners and stood there quietly. After composing ourselves and having the concrete filled lock-ons delivers we rushed across the road and Senan, Jigs and a few other made a mad effort to lock their arms in the lockons. The Gards responded quickly to this and quickly made off with two of the 3 lock one we brought but amid a pretty mad scuffle both of the lads managed to fit themselves to either end of the same pipe and lay in the middle of the road. By this point Gards were everywhere, they had little idea what was going on and they were pulling the two lads apart and trying for forcefully remove them from the lock ons.
The FEE guys immediately surrounded the guys and I started shouting at the guards to get off them and that they would break the arms of the 2 guys on the floor if they continued to use the force that they were employing. Once they stood back and actually THOUGH about the situation and addressed what was going on, instead of mindlessly reacting violently to any sort of protest as Gards seem to be trained to do, they clearly realised that the lock one were well enough to be designed to potentially seriously damage the users should they be forcefully removed.
The Gards then formed a barrier around the guys which FEE and the students from the Union assembled round and that was it, we, the students had successfully blocked the road.
While the guards were initially quite aggressive, there was a clear change in their behavior once they actually communicated with us, the protesters.
At one stage I was grabbed by the clothes and thrown across a metal barrier by a private security/worker of the hotel who after I challenged him refused to identify himself and informed me that I was on private property.
I pointed out that I was standing on a public road and he had just assaulted me while I was protesting peacefully and that he had no right whatsoever to manhandle me in such a way.
After questioning him for some time along with one of FEE's media people armed with a notebook and a camera I spotted his name tag around his neck and will be making a complaint with the Guards later this week. No private worker has ANY authority over me on a public road, no exceptions.
We spent the next few hours parked outside the hotel, things were cooling down with regard security and Garda and shortly after one o'clock the ministers and TDs started turning up.
One by one we informed them that their conference was cancelled and that they should return home and pick on someone who can afford it. TD after TD was turned away in this manner and forced to enter the hotel through the back door or any other entrance.
I even spotted one ministerial car that was 3 months out of road tax! Another report I will be making to the Garda traffic corp later this week.
We continued blocking the road, with me cycling around with the bike sound system playing music until the Fine Gael party members stopped arriving.
During this time I must commend the Gardai on how they behaved ourselves once it was well established that it was a peaceful protest, I suspect the number of law students and graduates present and acting as legal observes recording everything that happened may have had something to do with this. Regardless, they were very co-operative after about half an hour. Especially when it came to allowing workers and residents of the hotel in and out of the road. We made it very clear that NO members of the Dail were to pass. This was done by every car trying to pass the road block being asked who they were and what their business was, this was done by a member of FEE, and a Gard stopping talking to each and every driver.
There was press everywhere! Every time i looked around the 2 guys in lock ons were being interviewed for various radio and TV stations, I can't wait to hear the full reports.

We negotiated with the gards that we would end the blockade at 3.30pm after I spoke to Spt Marie Skehill and was told we could leave without being hindered. Spt Skehill had had bottles of water delivered and had given them to the guys in lock ons and other protesters. The level to which this pleased me cannot be put into words. Throughout the protest there were many comments and remarks speculating about the next budget in which it is highly likely that there will be another public sector pay cut, including the wages of the Gards themselves.
I informed them that we are in solidarity with them on that issue and that we would support them if it comes down to it.

We broke free from the lock-ons as we agreed and made our way back to the college. Shortly after arriving I was called up by a reporter with the Irish Times and asked about the end of the protest, who I was in relation to FEE and the SU (I was listed as PR spokesperson on the press release sent out by FEE the morning before). I explained the purpose of the protest to the reporter and that I was a SU Officer as well as a key FEE campaigner and I am looking forward to seeing the outcome of the interview.

All in all I think this was a huge success. We blocked any member of Fine Gael from entering the front door, we raised a huge profile for student protests, and the FEE movement and I'm sure will have students talking about it for the next few weeks. Thankfully also no one got arrested! :)
I am so proud of FEE Galway today, we are proving to everyone that we, and students in general are a serious force to be reckoned with.

Viva la revolution and long live FEE Galway!