Six anti-waste charge protesters have been sentenced to three weeks in jail and fined €1,500 each for blocking bin lorries in South Dublin County Council's area last week.
Mr Justice Joseph Finnegan, President of the High Court, said society did not function if the law was not obeyed.
South Dublin County Council brought 17 anti-waste charge protesters to court for blocking its bin lorries last week. Ten of them apologised to the court and said they would not do it again.
They were told to pay €200 each towards the council's legal costs. However, the other seven refused to apologise. Mr Justice Finnegan said society could not function if court orders were not obeyed.
He sentenced six of the protesters to 21 days in jail. He fined them €750 each and ordered them to pay another €750 each towards the council's legal costs.
The case of a seventh protester was adjourned until Monday.
As the sentences were announced there were shouts of ‘Shame' and 'There is no justice in this court’. The judge said that if he heard anyone else making noise, he would jail them too.
