Tipperary man protesting Gaza conflict threatened to throw rocks at gardaí from a roof
The man's solicitor told him there is a "right way" to protest the causes he cares about
A Thurles man has been convicted of trespass and obstruction at Thurles District Court after he climbed a roof in protest over the conflict in Gaza.
Brian Fahy (57) of 8 Stradavoher Court, Stradavoher, was charged with obstruction and trespass at Cathedral Street Thurles on May 3, 2024.
Sergeant Tom Hanrahan told the court that on the day of the incident, gardaí responded to a report of a man on the roof of a building on Cathedral Street, waving a flag.
The responding garda asked him to come down, but the man refused and threatened to throw rocks off the roof at gardaí.
The defendant was eventually persuaded to come down with the help of a staff member from Novas.
The court was told that Mr Fahy had 47 previous convictions, but the most recent was back in 2015.
Acting for the defendant, solicitor Maria Flanagan told the court her client was waving a Palestinian flag in protest of the conflict in Gaza.
“I have advised him he needs to step back because there is a right way to go about it,” said Ms Flanagan.
She said her client does have a significant history with the court but has “lived a quiet life” in recent times and engages with the Novas service.
Judge Marie Keane noted the defendant’s previous convictions and that he has not been before the court since 2015.
She convicted the defendant of obstruction and fined him €250 with six months to pay, taking the trespass charge into consideration.