People before Profit Councillor Deirdre Wadding addresses the crowd. Photograph by Rory Stafford.
Thousands of people took to the streets of Wexford today in order to protest against the upcoming water charges. Throughout the day, demonstrations took place in Wexford Town, Enniscorthy, New Ross and Gorey. Despite the harsh weather, a large number of people turned out for the event, which was organised by the Right2Water campaign.
The anti-water charges protest on New Ross’ quay front. Photograph by Johnny McMahon.
As the day progressed, a continuous stream of photographs and statuses about the demonstration were published on social media websites such as Facebook and Twitter:
@Revolution_IRL Wexford has Risen! pic.twitter.com/q36oNrThAE
— Guy (@nbyrne90) November 1, 2014
Wexford Bridge became awash with protesters.
Soaked tithe bone but marched on! #Right2Water #Wexford #troopers @IrishWater #wewontpay pic.twitter.com/BUF11z8VXm
— C F M (@ciaramargolin) November 1, 2014
Head of the #right2water protest in Wexford town, I estimate around a thousand, took ages to pass by. #IrishWater pic.twitter.com/JciWQvKTxv
— Paul Rowley (@P_Rowley) November 1, 2014
The protest as it passed the South East Radio offices on Wexford’s quay-front.
We did it in the rain,my little troopers! #Right2Water #Breaking #wexford #ireland #wewontpay pic.twitter.com/kkW8fdJIux
— Guy (@nbyrne90) November 1, 2014
#irishwater Wexford pic.twitter.com/m55qMeC567
— Diarmuid Lyng (@diarmuidlyng) November 1, 2014
Wexford Town’s North Main Street.
Protest against water charges across from us on The Quay in New Ross today #irishwater pic.twitter.com/8ctTsKJWlQ
— The Ros Tapestry (@TheRosTapestry) November 1, 2014
Protesters in New Ross gather around and prepare themselves.
Water water everywhere #enniscorthy #right2water #gailisasrownedrat pic.twitter.com/Ja2CFWLR7M
— Beat 102 103 (@beat102103) November 1, 2014
Throughout the day, the county was subjected to heavy rain and strong southwesterly winds.
Front of the Gorey #Right2Water protest. Much bigger than last week despite the rain! With @FionntanOS pic.twitter.com/Wmi0BPuCpI
— N Wexford Sinn Féin (@NorthWexfordSF) November 1, 2014
#Gorey #Wexford say NO Irish water #boycottTopaz #Right2Water protests pic.twitter.com/8Ym3vRcSEL
— Seán Ó (@SeanRepublican) November 1, 2014
The protest in Gorey also received a large turnout.
The demonstrations took place on the same day that the Sunday Independent released the results of its Millward Brown poll, which put Labour at 7% (down from 9%). The poll also shows that Sinn Féin has risen to 26%, which puts them above Fine Gael (22%) and Fianna Fáil (20%).
While speaking to Wexford Hub, People before Profit Councillor Deirdre Wadding said that it was ‘an amazing protest by the people of Wexford.’ ‘To have that many people in such atrocious weather shows how strongly people feel. This is where the tide turns. This government is finished. Reductions are not enough. Irish Water must be abolished and we must ensure our water supply is returned to public hands and we must ensure it can never be privatized.’
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