A crowd assembled on Saturday in Dublin, Ireland, outside the headquarters of RTE, the country national broadcaster to protest against ‘biased reporting,’ which they say only represents the interests of the elite.
About 150-200 activists gathered at Sacred Heart Church in Donnybrook and then made their way to RTE HQ, under heavy police presence, Irish press reported. The rally participants acted in a “quite peaceful manner,” witnesses told the Irish Independent.
“Stop media bias”, “Boycott RTE propaganda” read the protesters’ banners. They also chanted: “RTE, tell, tell, tell the truth.”
Chanting -'Tell tell tell the truth ' @rtenews#mediabias#Ireland#sixone#marianpic.twitter.com/W3gigntOWq
— Michael Caul (@caulmick) March 7, 2015
“RTE polluting the airwaves since 1960,” said a placard held by a middle-aged man, while another held a banner showing an alternative abbreviation of RTE – “Representing The Elite.”
READ MORE: Austerity Ireland: Thousands to protest national broadcaster’s ‘biased reporting’
Another march was held near Mountjoy Prison in Dublin where activists gathered to support the water protesters jailed in February.
Chanting in the Sun - Enda in your Ivory tower - this is called people power #mediabias#rtepic.twitter.com/ckXcm2oDy7
— Michael Caul (@caulmick) March 7, 2015
Protest outside Mountjoy prison in support of jailed water protesters pic.twitter.com/pAGx7MZUJ5
— Colman O'Sullivan (@colmanos) March 7, 2015
Five people are currently being held in prison after objecting to the Irish government’s decision to tax water. The water tax is a part of the Irish government's plan to repay billions of socialized bank debt, resulting from a banking crisis that brought Ireland's economy to its knees. Following an IMF/EU bailout in 2010 that ushered in harsh austerity measures, the country’s economy is yet to fully recover.
READ MORE: Thousands protest, jailed Irish anti-water tax campaigners go on hunger strike
speaker "@rte are happy to be the mouth piece for a Government intolerance of discourse" #mediabias#Ireland#vinbpic.twitter.com/PyeL7FNnKZ
— Michael Caul (@caulmick) March 7, 2015
Speaker let @rte go pay per view - lets see.who will buy into it then. #mediabias#twip#vinb#marianpic.twitter.com/EuvilDm6Rb
— Michael Caul (@caulmick) March 7, 2015
Saturday’s demo was organized by anti-austerity and political campaign groups from regions across Ireland. Among these are anti-water charges campaign organizations that have protested regularly in recent months against the government’s water taxation policy shift.
Protest at Donnybrook Church to march to RTÉ against coverage of water protests and austerity. Upto 150 people pic.twitter.com/rudLfbEwvG
— Colman O'Sullivan (@colmanos) March 7, 2015
The campaigners accuse the station of portraying Ireland as a nation in recovery, when in reality unemployment remains stubbornly high, suicide rates are soaring, and families who have bailed out corrupt bankers are being evicted from their homes and forced onto the street.
READ MORE: ‘Political policing’: Arrest of Irish anti-austerity activists sparks London solidarity protest
Montrose outside Rte - protests on #mediabias of State broadcaster #sixone#Irelandpic.twitter.com/Ak2mZsNCJ4
— Michael Caul (@caulmick) March 7, 2015
Dr Henry Silke, a Dublin-based expert in media studies and media representation, earlier said that RTE’s coverage of anti-water charges demonstrations, like that of much of Ireland’s mainstream media, has attempted to “de-legitimize the movement.”
“Minor acts of civil disobedience such as picketing have been framed as violent acts,” he told RT.
Protesting against media bias of Rte - Irish State broadcaster #Ireland#sixone#twippic.twitter.com/XfMY0Bf5N1
— Michael Caul (@caulmick) March 7, 2015
The demonstration on Saturday is one of many recent protests in Ireland, as citizens continue to battle against austerity and economic stagnation.
An estimated one hundred thousand people took to the streets of Dublin in December in protest against the Irish government's water charges.
At Montrose now #mediabiaspic.twitter.com/P2cFzsJVVU
— Michael Caul (@caulmick) March 7, 2015
There's a protest on the N11 on their way to @rte. There's a load of gardai in RTÉ too. I think its anti-austerity. pic.twitter.com/pP7LC7GEli
— Joey Harper (@ThatJoeyFella) March 7, 2015
Protest against the bias of State broadcaster Rte #mediabias#Ireland#SFAF2015pic.twitter.com/2Darf6jI6j
— Michael Caul (@caulmick) March 7, 2015
Enda Enda Enda out out out! #mediabias#rte#sixonepic.twitter.com/kBNViBijrw
— Michael Caul (@caulmick) March 7, 2015
Protest at RTE Donnybrook pic.twitter.com/MlkRTxY8pf
— David Murtagh (@rooibussnoek) March 7, 2015
On the move to Montrose @rte#mediabias#sixone#twippic.twitter.com/d7gidZNfFo
— Michael Caul (@caulmick) March 7, 2015