Yesterday [9/8/18] the housing activist occupation at 35 Summerhill Parade entered its third day. Approximately 100 people attended the ‘Leo’s Early Risers’* event yesterday evening to show solidarity and support to the local community and all those involved in the occupation.
Speeches came from housing activists and residents in the local area to demand adequate and affordable homes for all and stress the need for direct action to take back housing from slum landlords – such as multi millionaire Pat O’Donnell who evicted over 120 people from five houses on Summerhill Parade in May – and all those who profit from the current housing crisis.
Since the occupation began on Tuesday, activists have been engaging in community outreach, knocking on doors and listening to members of the local community on how the crisis in housing is affecting them.
A family friendly event takes place today, Friday 10th Aug. which includes a talk from Thapelo Mohapi, General Secretary of Abhahlali Base Mjondolo – a South African, radical, grassroots organisation that campaign against evictions and for public housing.
* The name of the event came from remarks made some months ago by the Taoiseach (head of government) when he said the government sought to represent the ‘early risers’, a group that was presumably intended to exclude anyone not forced our of bed in the early hours for a long commute to a 9-5 job. In fact Leo’s party represents landlords, a group whose income entirely comes from the work of others because of their power to demand rent payments. We don’t know what time the average landlord gets out of bed but a lot of them don’t even collect rent themselves anymore, they get a company to do it for them.
