Athlone Town Council became the latest municipal body to be disrupted by anti-austerity protestors when approximately 30 of them waited in the public gallery for nearly an hour before interrupting the monthly meeting.
Mostly wearing anti-household charge high-visibility vests and carrying a selection of slogans and placards, they shouted for the resignation of all the councillors, as well as a number of more personal attacks.
John McNamara, after his eviction from Sinn Féin in January, and anti-household charge organiser Gordon Hudson - who was famously told by Enda Kenny at a related protest in Athlone last year to “get a job” - have been trying to set up a cohesive opposition to the State’s austerity measures, and last month they founded a new political movement in the Midlands called the People’s Voice.
However, the council - which had been discussing a new riverside park and amenity - listened to the protest quietly for 10 minutes before retiring to an ante-room to finish its meeting.
On the way out the mainly elderly protestors thanked the members of An Garda Siochána for their benign presence at the protest.
