Calls for action over Dublin G8 activist’s detention

A group of Irish anti-globalisation activists has called for Government action over the continued detention of a Dublin activist…

A group of Irish anti-globalisation activists has called for Government action over the continued detention of a Dublin activist in Italy after his arrest in the aftermath of the G8 summit protests.

Mr Joe Moffatt (31), from Drimnagh, a master's student in media studies at the Dublin Institute Technology, has been charged with resisting arrest and possession of a weapon, a Swiss army knife, while returning to his campsite.

He was one of about 200 Irish activists who travelled to Genoa to take part in the anti-globalisation protests.

At a press conference today, the Irish activists called on the Minister for Foreign Affairs Mr Cowen to intervene by making a public statement in support of Mr Moffatt and to call for his immediate release.

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The conference was attended by two other Irish activists arrested during the protests by Italian police, Mr Moffatt’s girlfriend Ms Rena Nagle, a number of independent journalists who attended the G8 summit, members of the Socialist Party, Globalise Resistance, and Gluaiseacht, an Irish student umbrella anti-globalisation group.

The group is to hold a peaceful demonstration outside the Department of Foreign Affairs on Friday at 4 p.m. if no action has been taken by the Government. While Ms Nagle is to go to Italy tomorrow to speak with the solicitors handling Mr Moffatt’s case.

The Department of Foreign Affairs said it is in contact with Mr Moffatt and is monitoring the situation.

"A person from the Irish embassy in Rome has visited Mr Moffatt and he is well," a spokesman said. "We are expecting results from a forensic tests on the knife. They were supposed to be out on Monday but are not back yet."

The spokesman said Mr Moffatt is still in custody but is reportedly satisfied with his legal representation, adding things can move slowly in Italian legal system.

Ms Aoife Ní Fheargaill of the Socialist Workers Party and Globalise Resistance, said the group is circulating a statement condemning Mr Moffatt’s detention, the levels of police brutality in Genoa, and the police raid on the Genoa Social Forum (GSF) headquarters during the summit.

The statement calls on the Government and the opposition to take any measures necessary to speed-up Mr Moffat’s release. It also calls on Minister Cowen to intervene in the situation and to assist other Irish activists in their preparation of a file detailing their experiences at the G8 summit.

She said signatories to the statement include those of the Irish Council for Civil Liberties, Labour Party spokesman for foreign affairs Mr Michael D Higgins, Socialist Democrat TD Mr Joe Higgins, Green Party MFP Ms Patricia MacKenna, and ATGWU Secretary Mr Ben Kearney.

The Government should act on what is an infringement of human liberties," she said. "We have been unable to find out exactly why Joe Moffatt is being held. It seems he was arrested on a blanket public order, about two hours before he was due to return home after the summit had ended."

The Department spokesman said if Mr Moffatt’s detention continues unreasonably, the Department will pursue the matter further.