📢 NARA Statement from Laura Broxson & Tawnie Ocampo: Outcome of ‘The Greyhound 6 vs. Shelbourne Park Greyhound Stadium 📢

Firstly, we would like to thank all of our comrades who supported us over the last 2 days in the High Court, as well as over the past two months since all of this started. We would also like to thank our legal team for their wonderful work on our behalf during this time.

Today’s outcome was welcome for us, the First & Second Named Defendants, Laura Broxson & Tawnie Ocampo, but although the 50 metre injunction was removed (and all costs are being paid for by Shelbourne Park), a settlement agreement was reached – rather than the case being thrown out altogether.

Our 4 co-defendants proposed a list of protocols to Shelbourne Park, without our knowledge, which the 4 of them subsequently agreed to. They are as follows:

“When protests occur outside the Plaintiff’s greyhound racing stadium on South Lotts Road which are attended by the Third, Fourth, Fifth and/or Sixed Named Defendants or any one of them, the Third, Fourth, Fifth and Sixth Named Defendants confirm the following:

(i) The Third, Fourth, Fifth and Sixth Named Defendants will ensure that a system of stewards will be put in place during such protests numbering not less than 3 stewards on any occasion when a protest occurs. The stewards will wear high visibility jackets;

(ii) The stewards will on each occasion read out a protocol to the assembled protestors prior to the commencement of the protest which shall include, inter alia, the following:
(a) The protestors shall stand in single file on the public footpath at the edge nearest the public road and shall not obstruct the footpath;
(b) The protestors shall not lay any banners on the ground in a manner which would impede pedestrians using the public footpath;
(c) The protestors shall leave a gap of at least 3.5 metres from the edge of the entrance to the stadium on either side to the point where the protests commence;
(d) The protestors will confine the content of their posters, banners, statements and slogans to the plight of the greyhounds and eschew any statements or material concerning customers, visitors or employees of the Plaintiff as set out in the letter from Walter P. Toolan dated 3 December 2019;
(e) The protestors shall not use loud-hailers or megaphones after 8.00pm on any evening when a protest occurs.”

We, Laura & Tawnie, refused to agree to the above – but to avoid the probability of a ruling which would legally enforce the above on us, we agreed we would abide by the rules should we decide to *attend* any protest or demonstration (as in, organised by the other 4 defendants).

So going forward, NARA will be organising a new campaign to ban greyhound racing in Ireland.

For us, today was not a win for the cause, but it’s the best outcome we could have gotten under the circumstances.

Thanks so much again to everyone for your help and support, it means the world to us.