Communism @ Croke Park

Was sitting in Block 301 last night, next to the hill where upon hearing the full time whistle two young lads with what looked like a white bed sheet with black print "BRING BACK ANDY REID" were pulled up by the a few stewards and the Gardai. The Gardai and stewards confiscated there lads banner and subsequently began to record their ticket/seat numbers and personal information. Many fans attempted to intervene but the officials carried on regardless...

This is surely a breach of their civil liberties?!! I would be appalled if these guys got refused entry for future games..... See the pictures attached.

Remember the "Delaney Out" tshirt protest?

Similarly dealt with.

Whatever about the stewards, the Gardai shouldn't have gotten involved. Hard to argue that such a banner was inciting anything or breaching the peace.

P.S. Closer to facism than communism IMO...

just waiting for the GAA to get the blame for this....

Maybe they're as sick of this Andy Reid nonsense as the rest of the country. If we could do something similar to the lads on the RTE panel then I'm all for it.

ya i saw a kid with a banner on tv last night. think it said "reid our lips trap bring back andy reid" or something like that. dont know why they would take it off those lads. pretty normal stuff i would have thought.

It is the same kid in the photo who had the 'reid our lips' banner.
After the RTE cameras caught the banner in shot (which caused Bill to have a nervous cough) the lad gets surrounded by the Gardai.
Thats Delayneyism

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Originally Posted by shakermaker1982

just waiting for the GAA to get the blame for this....

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It couldn't have been associated with the GAA. The protest would've been in the middle of the pitch after the game...

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Originally Posted by OneRedArmy

Remember the "Delaney Out" tshirt protest?

Similarly dealt with.

Whatever about the stewards, the Gardai shouldn't have gotten involved. Hard to argue that such a banner was inciting anything or breaching the peace.

P.S. Closer to facism than communism IMO...

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Correct sir. "Communism" seems to be a catch all term for troglodytes the world over these days.

I'm sorry but we've just qualified for the play-offs and the last thing any of us want to deal with is the ever present moaners and complainers. Trap does 9 things right and 1 thing wrong and it appears that some people care more about chastising him for the the little that is wrong than praising him for everything he's done right.

Toss them out I say

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Originally Posted by Murfinator

I'm sorry but we've just qualified for the play-offs and the last thing any of us want to deal with is the ever present moaners and complainers. Trap does 9 things right and 1 thing wrong and it appears that some people care more about chastising him for the the little that is wrong than praising him for everything he's done right.

Toss them out I say

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It's got nothing to do with Trap. It's about the right to free speech. It's essentially the same as not allowing people to protest against the government. How would you feel about that?

I noticed the sheet, was in the lower Davin, over to the left of he goal

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Originally Posted by OneRedArmy

Remember the "Delaney Out" tshirt protest?

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along those lines, this is hanging at my desk at work
http://tetsujin1979.googlepages.com/15102009105.jpg

It's paranoia gone out of control.

I see it's not the Gardai in the photo, just stewards.

Special branch, carefuly disguised as stewards. If you look at the TV footage, you'll see that there were another three or four disguised in green shirts, patroling the crowds from the middle of the field too...

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Originally Posted by jmurphyc

It's got nothing to do with Trap. It's about the right to free speech. It's essentially the same as not allowing people to protest against the government. How would you feel about that?

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This would be the equivalent of protesting against the government in the dail chambers on the day the lisbon treaty was passed.

There's a time and place for protests, and this was neither. It's in very bad taste for any so called "fan" to protest against the management staff after they've just qualified for the play offs and before the most crucial set of games we've had in 7 years. I've seen signs against stan and delaney before so I'm going to assume it was the bad taste and timing these guys had which is why they were withdrawn. Maybe they were being disruptive prior to the incident as well, we don't know the full story.

Either way, no sympathy for them if they are banned.

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Originally Posted by Murfinator

There's a time and place for protests, and this was neither. It's in very bad taste for any so called "fan" to protest against the management staff after they've just qualified for the play offs and before the most crucial set of games we've had in 7 years. I've seen signs against stan and delaney before so I'm going to assume it was the bad taste and timing these guys had which is why they were withdrawn. Maybe they were being disruptive prior to the incident as well, we don't know the full story.

Either way, no sympathy for them if they are banned.

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The signs against Staunton and Delaney were removed too as far as I can recall. The game was essentially a dead rubber and few banners would have much effect on the players in next month's games. It was the perfect time to protest. It's personally not something that I would do, but last night's game was an excellent time to make your voice heard. Add to that that it was not a protest against management, it was a protest against a management decision, which is a very different matter.

My first thought was what a great email address for the GAA.

Shocking stuff that a banner like this would interest the Gardai, there has to be another reason for it ...........surely , anyone

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Originally Posted by jmurphyc

The signs against Staunton and Delaney were removed too as far as I can recall. The game was essentially a dead rubber and few banners would have much effect on the players in next month's games. It was the perfect time to protest. It's personally not something that I would do, but last night's game was an excellent time to make your voice heard. Add to that that it was not a protest against management, it was a protest against a management decision, which is a very different matter.

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It's such a pointless activity though. Does anybody believe a man who has been in the game for 50 odd years is going to backtrack on a decision because some guy with a sign says he should?
I always believe the stands should be for supporters and this kind of thing is anti-support and helps nobody. I'd understand if we were eliminated already or it was the beginning of a new campaign or some such. But protesting that a guy who hasn't been involved for the whole campaign should be brought big for the biggest two games of the campaign...it's crazy. It's in no way the "perfect time".

How would you feel if you were a winger or centre mid on the pitch last night and saw a sign for a supporter desperately seeking for someone out of the squad to replace you. Uplifted or spurred on to perform? I doubt it.

Did the steward then proceed to take over the factories in the name of the state, outlaw private ownership of land or industry, and invest heavily in equal public services for all?

personally id wouldnt bring a banner to a game cause i couldnt be bothered but if it wasnt offensive then it should be allowed.

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Originally Posted by tetsujin1979

I noticed the sheet, was in the lower Davin, over to the left of he goal

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The one in the Davin was complaining about FIFA seeding the playoff draw. I got a photo of that, I'll stick it up somewhere later.