Londonderry protester fined for ‘democracy now’ incident

Raymond Walker, aged 42 and originally from Londonderry but with an address at Sherrard Street Lower, Dublin, was arrested on Merrion Street, on November 21 after standing in front of the then Fianna Fáil Minister Mary Hanafin’s car.

He was charged under the Public Order Act with obstructing Garda Jennifer Keyes, interfering with the passage of a vehicle and engaging in threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour.

He pleaded not guilty at Dublin District Court last week. The court heard how the car carrying Ms Hanafin stopped at Government Buildings gates and was surrounded by the media.

“There was a lot of people around the car, it took up most of the pavement, some pedestrians tried to go on the road. I was going to walk around between the gates and the car,”

Walker told the court. “I put my hands in the air and shouted as loudly as I could ‘democracy now.’”

Ms Hanafin smiled at him at first “but did not speak”, Walker said. About a minute and a half later, he moved on when Garda Keyes spoke to him.

He claimed Ms Hanafin’s car was stationary when he stepped in front of it and he did not believe he had caused an obstruction as there were members of the media standing behind him.

Judge Brendan Toale said video evidence showed Walker was the only person in front of the car and he convicted him for interfering with the free passage of the vehicle.

Judge Toale fined Walker 150 euro, to be paid within a month or he will be jailed for five days. Charges of breach of the peace and obstructing the garda were dismissed.