The protests which have brought the streets of major cities to a standstill in recent days are disproportionate, imposing an unduly heavy burden on the general population. Many households and businesses are feeling the pinch, but this does not justify a campaign by one group which causes huge disruption to the general public and costs to other businesses. Calls from the protesters for commuters to “bear with us” will be little solace to the thousands stuck in cars and buses trying to get to work.
The gardaí typically take a standback approach in such cases, reflecting the rights people have to protest and the reality that this often causes some temporary disruption for the public. Interest groups are entitled to make their case and frequently do so via marches through, for example, Dublin city centre or outside Leinster House.
However, for the fuel protesters, disruption is the central goal rather than a by-product of a march or gathering. As a result, some major national roads remained closed and bus services were severely curtailed. The “instruction” not to hinder emergency services was effectively meaningless in the context of routes being completely closed . A number of oil depots have been blocked and, in a serious escalation yesterday evening, so was the Whitegate oil refinery.
The Government is engaging with representative groups such as the Irish Road Haulage Association and the farm bodies, which are not involved in organising the protests. Even with wholesale prices easing somewhat, the Government is still likely to come forward with additional measures.
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The protesters should withdraw their blockages. They risk achieving nothing more than the talks already under way, at the price of huge disruption for the rest of the population. The Government and the Garda, meanwhile, face a difficult task in dealing with unduly disruptive protests. But it is wholly unacceptable to block thousands of people from getting to work, education or medical appointments in order to make a political point on behalf of any sector, no matter how badly affected it may be by the current energy crisis.
