Ruth Coppinger TD has condemned as “A DISGRACEFUL ATTACK ON THE RIGHT TO PROTEST” an injunction taken out by Shelbourne Park greyhound stadium against six individuals who have been peacefully protesting outside the stadium against the cruel greyhound industry.
Shelbourne Park, one of the worst tracks in Ireland for greyhound injuries and deaths, is 99% owned by the taxpayer-funded Irish Greyhound Board. The government has shamefully handed out more than a quarter of a billion euros of taxpayers’ money to the Irish Greyhound Board since 2001, including €16.8 million in 2019 and another €16.8 million for 2020 (that’s more than €323,000 for every week of the year).
According to a recent Irish Times report, “The IGB refused to comment on the [High Court] proceedings.”
A High Court notice posted 50 metres from the entrance into Shelbourne Park states: “It is ordered that the defendants, their servants or agents and/or any persons acting in concert with them be restrained until after the 4th day of December 2019, or further Order in the meantime, from impeding, obstructing, hindering or in any way interfering with access to, or egress from, the Plaintiff’s property at Shelbourne Park Greyhound Stadium, Irishtown in the city of Dublin, by congregating within 50 metres of the public entrance of the said stadium on South Lotts Road in any direction”.
A handwritten note from Beauchamps, solicitors for Shelbourne Park stadium, further states that the defendants or their servants or agents are liable to process of execution, including “committal to prison for the purposes of compelling you to obey the said order”.
Deputy Ruth Coppinger (Solidarity, Dublin West) is calling on the public to “Show your support for ‘The Greyhound 6’ - They have a court hearing on the injunction on 28th January.”
Shelbourne Park’s court action has also been condemned by Paul Murphy TD (RISE / Solidarity, People Before Profit). Speaking at the recent Greyhounds Around The Globe conference, he said that “the money they are using to pay lawyers to bring you to court to try to prevent the right to protest is public money [from the millions of euros in government funding the IGB receives each year]...We will be putting very hard questions to the government - do they think public money should be used in this way to try and intimidate people and try and prevent people from protesting.”
For more information, see the statement below from the National Animal Rights Association who are “asking for your support for the campaign to ban greyhound racing in Ireland, and would also appreciate solidarity in court on 28th January 2020”.
Protests are continuing 50 metres away from the entrance to Shelbourne Park. Please make a special effort to support the next protest on Saturday 28th December from 7pm to 8pm https://www.facebook.com/events/537049613578173/
NATIONAL ANIMAL RIGHTS ASSOCIATION STATEMENT
'The Greyhound 6 vs. Shelbourne Park Greyhound Stadium'
As many of our supporters are aware, Shelbourne Park Greyhound Stadium have taken a High Court injunction against activists Laura Broxson, Tawnie Ocampo, Catherine Woods, Noiren Carrigg, Conor Brady and Bernie Wright.
This injunction, which was granted on an ‘ex parte’ basis on 29th November 2019, includes a 50 metre “exclusion zone” at protests outside Shelbourne Park Greyhound Stadium indefinitely.
‘The Greyhound 6’, as they have come to be known, had their first court appearance today, 18th December 2019, but it reached no conclusion. They will all be returning to the High Court on the 28th January 2020 for what is set to be - at the very least - a 2 day hearing to defend their constitutional right to protest.
All 6 have wonderful legal representation, and are confident that justice will prevail. In the meantime, they are asking for your support for the campaign to ban greyhound racing in Ireland, and would also appreciate solidarity in court on the 28th January 2020.
We will post further information in due course.
For the animals,
National Animal Rights Association
#TheGreyhound6
https://www.facebook.com/161221517234532/posts/2691492860874039/
Shelbourne Park is one of the worst tracks in Ireland for greyhound injuries and deaths. In the past five years alone, at least 167 greyhounds suffered injuries there and 39 were killed by a track vet, sickening Irish Greyhound Board statistics show. Among the victims this year were a greyhound who died after suffering a “suspected heart attack” on 17th August and another carried away bleeding with a leg bone “popped out”.
REPORTED GREYHOUND INJURIES AND DEATHS AT IRISH TRACKS
2019: (Jan to Sept): 254 injuries. 86 deaths
2018: 353 Injuries. 121 Deaths
2017: 357 Injuries. 124 Deaths
2016: 427 Injuries. 139 Deaths
2015: 422 Injuries. 122 Deaths
REPORTED INJURIES AND DEATHS AT SHELBOURNE PARK
2019 (January to September):
21 injuries, 4 deaths (including a greyhound who died of “suspected heart attack)
2018: 41 injuries, 12 deaths
2017: 21 injuries, 10 deaths
2016: 51 injuries, 7 deaths
2015: 33 injuries, 7 deaths
ACTION ALERT
Say NO to the cruel greyhound industry - don't attend greyhound races or fundraisers/hen parties/Christmas parties held at greyhound tracks
STOP THE STATE FUNDING FOR GREYHOUND RACING
Contact Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe now and demand an end to the state funding that is keeping the dying greyhound industry afloat.
An Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar
Government Buildings,
Upper Merrion St, Dublin 2
Telephone: +353 (0)1-6194020
Email: taoiseach@taoiseach.gov.ie; leo.varadkar@oireachtas.ie; finegael@finegael.ie
Tweet to: @LeoVaradkar
Leave a comment on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LeoVaradkar
Paschal Donohoe TD
Minister for Finance
Email: paschal.donohoe@oireachtas.ie; minister@per.gov.ie
Phone: +353 (0)1 6045810
Leave a comment on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PaschalDonohoe/
Tweet to @Paschald
Email “Fine Gael - Stop funding cruel greyhound racing” to all Fine Gael TDs
maria.bailey@oireachtas.ie; sean.barrett@oireachtas.ie; pat.breen@oireachtas.ie; colm.brophy@oireachtas.ie; richard.bruton@oireachtas.ie; peter.burke@oireachtas.ie; catherine.byrne@oireachtas.ie; Ciaran.Cannon@oireachtas.ie; joe.carey@oireachtas.ie; corcorankennedy@eircom.net; Simon.Coveney@oireachtas.ie; michael.creed@oireachtas.ie; michael.darcy@oireachtas.ie; Jim.Daly@oireachtas.ie; john.deasy@oireachtas.ie; Pat.Deering@oireachtas.ie; Regina.Doherty@oireachtas.ie; Paschal.Donohoe@oireachtas.ie; andrew.doyle@oireachtas.ie; bernard.durkan@oireachtas.ie; damien.english@oireachtas.ie; Alan.Farrell@oireachtas.ie; frances.fitzgerald@oir.ie; peterm.fitzpatrick@oireachtas.ie; charles.flanagan@oireachtas.ie; Brendan.Griffin@oireachtas.ie; Simon.Harris@oireachtas.ie; Martin.Heydon@oireachtas.ie; Heather.Humphreys@oireachtas.ie; paul.kehoe@oireachtas.ie; enda.kenny@oireachtas.ie; Sean.Kyne@oireachtas.ie; josepha.madigan@oireachtas.ie; helen.mcentee@oireachtas.ie; joe.mchugh@oireachtas.ie; Tony.McLoughlin@oireachtas.ie; Mary.MitchellOConnor@oireachtas.ie; Dara.Murphy@oireachtas.ie; Eoghan.Murphy@oireachtas.ie; hildegarde.naughton@oireachtas.ie; tom.neville@limerick.ie; michael.noonan@oireachtas.ie; kate.oconnell@oireachtas.ie; Patrick.O'Donovan@oireachtas.ie; fergus.odowd@oireachtas.ie; JohnPaul.Phelan@oireachtas.ie; michael.ring@oireachtas.ie; noel@noelrock.ie; david.stanton@oir.ie; leo.varadkar@oireachtas.ie
Email “Fianna Fáil - Stop funding cruel greyhound racing” to all Fianna Fáil TDs
billykelleher@eircom.net; sean.haughey@oireachtas.ie; Bobby.Aylward@oireachtas.ie; brendan.smith@oireachtas.ie; johncurranff@gmail.com; Charlie.McConalogue@oireachtas.ie; michael.mcgrath@oireachtas.ie; sean.ofearghail@oireachtas.ie; john.brassil@oireachtas.ie; darragh.obrien@oireachtas.ie; eamon.ocuiv@oireachtas.ie; jackie.cahill@oireachtas.ie; john.mcguinness@oireachtas.ie; mattie.mcgrath@oireachtas.ie; micheal.martin@oireachtas.ie; michael.moynihan.td@oireachtas.ie; niall.collins@oireachtas.ie; coper@eircom.net; Robert.Troy@oireachtas.ie; thomas.byrne@oireachtas.ie; timmy.dooley@oireachtas.ie; barry.cowen@oireachtas.ie; fiona@fiona.ie; declan.breathnach@oireachtas.ie; mary.butler@oireachtas.ie; kevin.okeeffe@oireachtas.ie; dara.calleary@oireachtas.ie; escanlonmcc@eircom.net; sean.fleming@oireachtas.ie; niamh.smyth@oireachtas.ie; james@jameslawless.ie; shane.cassells@oireachtas.ie; willie.odea@oireachtas.ie; margaret.murphyomahony@oireachtas.ie; anne.rabbitte@oireachtas.ie; eugene.murphy@oireachtas.ie; jack.chambers@outlook.com; james.browne@oireachtas.ie; john.lahart@oireachtas.ie; lisa.chambers@oireachtas.ie; marc.macsharry@oireachtas.ie; jim.ocallaghan@oireachtas.ie; pat.casey@oireachtas.ie; aindrias.moynihan@oireachtas.ie; frankorourke1@gmail.com
Visit the Oireachtas website for more telephone numbers and other contact details for TDs
https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/members/tds/?term=/ie/oireachtas/house/dail/32
Please sign and share petitions
Stop supporting the cruel greyhound industry
https://www.change.org/p/stop-supporting-the-cruel-greyhound-industry
GAA: Stop club fundraisers at greyhound tracks
https://www.change.org/p/gaa-stop-club-fundraisers-at-greyhound-tracks
Tell Gain Pet Nutrition to Stop Sponsoring Greyhound Racing
https://www.change.org/p/jimtracy-glanbia-ie-tell-gain-pet-nutrition-to-stop-sponsoring-greyhound-racing
Watch RTE Investigates: Greyhounds Running for Their Lives to witness the horrors of greyhound racing
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZYTb2qBjlMM