A civil action taken by four siblings against NUI Galway, alleging discrimination, is continuing at Loughrea Circuit Court in Galway.
The Burke family from Mayo claim they were discriminated against and victimised by college authorities because of their religious beliefs seven years ago.
Ammi, Enoch, Kezia and Isaac were all students at NUI Galway when they claim they were barred for life from membership of student societies. The college claim the ban was for four-and-a-half years.
Under cross-examination of Isaac Burke by counsel for NUI Galway, Alan Ledwith, it was put to him that he had misrepresented the college and that the ban imposed on membership of student societies was on the basis of misconduct and nothing to do with religious beliefs.
The court heard that he had distributed publicity material opposing the campaign for the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement against Israel (BDS) using the college logo in a misleading manner.
Under questioning about misuse of funds, it was put to Isaac Burke that the money used for leaflets had not been met with full approval from the Christian Union Society (CUS).
All four siblings were members of the CUS based on the authority of the scriptures. Isaac Burke told the court that a sum of €325 had been used to pay for the printed material and that the money had been returned in full.
Addressing the court later, Enoch, Kezia and Ammi Burke spoke about events on campus in 2014 during a referendum on same-sex marriage.
The siblings had set up an information table and put up posters quoting scripture and advocating a 'No' vote. They said their posters were ripped down and they were subjected to sustained verbal and online abuse.
They told the court that the Christian Union Society began attracting an unprecedented level of attention and that they were being mocked and taunted mercilessly.
Enoch Burke said he was traumatised, humiliated and deeply fearful. He said the "invective, projectiles" and selfies taken by students continued for an hour-and-a-half.
The court was told that a mob came and sat on the floor, blocked doors and humiliated the Burke siblings. They said college security was called for, but never came.
Kezia Burke broke down in court saying she was "tormented" by the events on campus and that it was not right for a 23-year-old college student to be subjected to such abuse and to be victimised, with her brothers and sister, for what she said was their right to express their strongly held religious beliefs and convictions.
Counsel for the college argued that the siblings were seeking special treatment with regard to their posters, and that all student societies were afforded the same freedom to express their rights. If posters are taken down, this is the action of individual students and not the college.
The Burke siblings alleged in court that the university authorities stood by and let this happen.
They rejected the claim that their information table was shut down on health and safety grounds, repeating their claim that they were being discriminated against on the grounds of their religious beliefs.
Tomorrow, witnesses will be called on behalf of NUI Galway.
