Anti drugs activist tells of threat

A FEMALE anti drugs activist told a meeting in a community hall in Darndale, Dublin, yesterday that her life had been threatened because of her anti drugs activities.

Ms Margaret Whistler, a committee member with the Darndale Drugs Awareness Group, said male neighbours had spent last Thursday night in her house to protect her, following the threat which she said came from drug pushers.

Two men on a motorcycle and wearing crash helmets had called to her home earlier that day, she said.

"But they won't intimidate me into giving up," she told the 400-500 people attending the meeting in Darndale community centre.

The meeting was addressed by Mr Joe Dowling, of the Inner City Organisations Network, Garda Sgt Donal Walters, local community worker Ms Angie McLoughlin, and Mr Larry O'Toole, of the Darndale, Belcamp, Moatview Drugs Action Group.

Ms Whistler said they would get the staff for a local treatment centre for local addicts, if they could find a suitable venue.

Sgt Walters said there had been extra gardai in the area since the "launch of the Garda anti drugs exercise, Dochas, and they had been able to walk the area "without having stones thrown at us".

However, they had not been getting the level of information from local people that they had expected.

After the meeting there was march to an area which is heavily used by drug dealers and some marchers shone bright lights on a number of nearby houses.

Meanwhile, about 70 people attended an anti drugs meeting in "St James's Hall, James Street, and agreed to set up a local committee to tackle drug dealing in the area.

The meeting was addressed by a garda from Kilmainham station who appealed to residents to pass on information about drug dealers to the force.