After an injunction was obtained against the occupiers of the evicted house on Summerhill they vacated it only to march to another vacant house at 34 Fredrick street and occupy that. At the time of writing an injunction has again been granted but this time the occupiers have said if there is sufficient support they intend to remain in occupation. Since lunchtime today when the injunction came into effect dozens of people have been on the pavement outside the occupation.
As the occupation of 34 North Frederick St. passed the week mark, those occupying on Saturday 25th August were made up exclusively of women and children. This was a deliberate action in response to the visit of Pope Francis to Dublin.
One activist on site has this to say: “Today we remember the broad oppression of Roman Catholic rule in Ireland, but in particular we commemorate the systematic oppression of women and children, for decades, in Catholic-run institutions such as the Magdalene Laundries. We also remember the role of the Irish State in defending Catholic rule, and also in defending landlord rule today, continuing oppression in different forms.”
The building was occupied last Friday with the purpose of drawing attention to Ireland’s severe housing crisis, following a first occupation in Summerhill.
It will be managed exclusively by women for the entire day.
This morning, after a 24hr social media silence, activists have dropped several banners from the roof of the occupied building. The statement’s emphasize the parallels between the abuse and exploitation carried out by the Catholic church in Ireland and the inhumane living conditions thousands of people endure under the housing crisis.
Activists are also wearing pieces of green cloth in solidarity with women fighting for abortion rights in Argentina (the home country of pope Francis), where the Senate recently voted against the legalisation of abortion.
