Bank shuts doors after invasion by protestors

Date Published: 01-Mar-2012

BY CIARAN TIERNEY

A city centre bank was forced to shut its doors for two hours on Wednesday afternoon after a group of students protesting against an increase in third level fees staged an occupation of the premises.

Management of the AIB Bank at Lynch’s Castle took the decision to close the bank after the group of between 30 and 35 students took over an area at the front of the building just after 2pm.

The group had broken away from an earlier march through the city centre, organised by the NUI Galway Students’ Union and the Free Education for Everyone (FEE) group, to oppose an increase of €250 per year in student fees and cuts to grants.

The main protest began at NUI Galway at lunch-time and ended with the presentation of a wreath, to symbolise “the death of opportunity for young people in Ireland”, at the office of Brian Walsh TD (FG) on Prospect Hill.

It is understood that a minority of the protesters decided to ‘occupy’ the Lynch’s Castle branch of AIB at short notice following the end of the main demonstration, which attracted up to 200 protesters.

Gardai maintained a presence at the entrance to the bank and one young woman was arrested for a minor public order offence.

For more on this story, see the Galway City Tribune.