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river nore
Two arrested during protest against Kilkenny bridge
Protesters have been maintaining a 24-hour presence at the construction site.
TWO PEOPLE HAVE been arrested during a protest against the construction of a bridge in Kilkenny.
Gardaí confirmed that the two were arrested early today but have subsequently been released. A file will be sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions in relation to the arrests.
The protest against the development of a bridge over the River Nore is now into its fifth week.
The bridge is being constructed under the controversial Central Access Scheme (CAS).
The protest
Today’s arrests took place as protesters attempted to stall trucks during their entrance into the construction site.
A protester told TheJournal.ie that he counted around 28 gardaí who attended the scene.
He said gardaí lined up and approached the protesters to get them to move and allow the trucks entrance. He said gardaí have been visiting the protest site over the past four days.
The protesters were “roaring” at the gardaí to take special care of one of the protesters, who was very sensitive, he added.
“We were all quite shook and traumatised after it,” said the protester.
We are a peaceful protest. No one on this protest has ever protested before. It’s not activists, it’s just ordinary people.
He said they are attempting to delay the trucks in order the slow them down and make a statement that the construction of the bridge is “wrong” and “a disgrace”.
They are currently pursuing a legal avenue in relation to the bridge and hope to bring this to public attention over the next few days.
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