martin ruffley

Some personal news. On Thursday, I go to court to answer five charges, three for assault and two for abusive language. In March 2024, I was attacked by a foreign man while walking into a shop. The entire incident is recorded on cctv, and I will release it if necessary. Following the incident, I reported it to gardai and was asked to call up to the station. Having acted in self-defense, I had no issue speaking to gardai. I met the garda, who said she just watched the CCTV, and I have nothing to worry about as I was clearly not the aggressor. She had also spoken to the manager of the shop and the security guard, who had witnessed the incident. They also confirmed that I acted in self-defense and confirmed that the foreign man waited outside the shop for me after the initial attack. Waterford is my city, I was born here, so I won't be intimidated by anyone. Despite the foreign man waiting outside and being aggressive, I left the shop. When I walked outside, he started again, and I was required to defend myself for a second time. A few weeks after the incident, i contacted the garda and asked her for an update. She told me "I just need to get the go ahead from my senior, but you won't be charged." 6 months later, 5 summons arrived in my door. 5 summons for defending myself from a foreign man who attacked me twice. I'm used to garda corruption, my childhood was defined by it, and one day, I'll tell you all that story. But for now, I look forward to going to court and clearing my name. The gardai are the enforcement wing of the government. They are a completely politicised police force who don't follow the law. If you speak against the status quo, you will be targeted by the state, even when you are obviously the victim. But the truth will win. The days of this government targeting their political opposition are over. I will keep you all updated on this case. 🇮🇪