Bebo

Limerick Leader <LimerickLeader>

"www.limerickleader.ie"

	Over 5,000 protesters tell criminals to stop	203 Tage her
	Nick Rabbitts THOUSANDS of people across Limerick have sent a message to criminal gangs across the city: that enough is enough. In excess of 5,000 people – most of whom dressed in red – brought the city centre to a standstill yesterday afternoon as a protest march against the brutal gangland killings in Limerick took place to express their revulsion of the violence. The event, organised by Stephen Collins, the father of 35-year-old businessman Roy Collins who was shot dead a month ago yesterday, began at Pery Square, and took in Mallow Street, Henry Street and Arthurs Quay, before culminating at city hall, where Mayor John Gilligan and Mr Collins addressed the crowd. Limerick man Ron McKnight said: "They (the Collins family] are good honest people, working people. I met Steve 30 years ago. He was a gentleman then, he's a gentleman now, and what happened to his son was absolutely horrible. This country has to get back to respecting people who walk the streets." And he also called for internment, fearing the new Criminal Surveillance laws - which will give gardai the power to use sophisticated covert technology to track suspected criminals - may not be enough. "I believe at this point in time, we should have internment to lift these criminals off the street. Get them sorted, put them away until things improve. I think the process is too slow - these criminals are laughing at the law. If I throw a can on the ground, I could be arrested - but these people know all the tricks." Tony Nolan, whose son was murdered in Dublin last year, said: "There is no justice here for murder. The system is corrupt to high heavens, and there is no law. "The Justice Minister (Dermot Ahern] is blind as a bat. He has done nothing. When the rugby chap (Shane Geoghegan] was killed he came down to Limerick and went back home and has done nothing. "Nobody is doing anything. No-one understands what it is like to lose a child, especially to murder." Following a minute's silence, Mr Collins told the crowd: "This has been a traumatic time for our family, and we felt it should not go by without sending a message out to these thugs have destroyed our lives; have let us down and let the good name of Limerick down. "By your actions here today, you have spoken and said you have had enough of the low-life mutants that have eaten into the fabric of our society. It's a cancer that must be cut out." Meanwhile, Mayor John Gilligan described the criminal gangs - who over the last 12 months have claimed the lives of Mark Moloney, James Cronin, Shane Geoghegan and Roy Collins - as "cruel heartless people without any compassion, guilt or any kind of grief." Bishop of Limerick Dr Donal Murray was unable to attend the rally due to a prior commitment, but his appeal for an end fo the violence was read out at Sunday Masses across the Diocese of Limerick.
	geschrieben von Limerick Leader