Further large demonstrations took place across the country yesterday to show solidarity with victims of sexual crime.
The rallies followed demonstrations earlier this week organised in the wake of not guilty verdicts in the trial of Paddy Jackson, Stuart Olding, Blane McIlroy and Rory Harrison at Belfast Crown Court.
Yesterday’s rallies took place in Belfast, Cork, Dublin, and Galway, with demonstrators at the Drogheda Rally4Repeal & Abortion Rights also carrying “I believe her” placards.
The demonstrations were organised by ROSA – Socialist Feminist Movement and called for a variety of changes, including improved sex education, the reversal of cuts to rape crisis centres and women’s shelters, and an overhaul to how rape cases are dealt with by the courts.
#SueMePaddy
While the main chants were “I believe her” and “We stand with her”, there were also shouts of “sue me Paddy” and placards reading “sue me too”.
#SueMePaddy became the top trending topic in Ireland on Friday when it became known that Paddy Jackson’s legal team, KRW Law, had issued a notice of intention to sue Labour Party Senator Aodhán Ó Ríordáin in relation to an “I believe her” tweet.
The Belfast Telegraph reports KRW Law as warning that the use of #IBelieveHer is defamatory and that it “will not hesitate to repeat similar legal action against anyone, who deliberately or otherwise, sees fit to attack” Mr Jackson.
Also on Friday, the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre announced that it had received an unprecedented €30,000 in donations from 16,000 people in the two days following the verdict.
