Thousands Demonstrate in Ireland against Legal Loophole that Allowed Child Rapist to Be Set Free

Thousands demonstrated outside the Irish parliament in Dublin Friday against a legal loophole that led to a convicted child rapist being freed from jail in May. The protest was carried out while Irish lawmakers debated emergency legislation, which was later passed, apparently without a vote. It is reported that many of the demonstrators carried white flags and flowers to represent the loss of innocence of children. The Irish Supreme Court had found a 1935 statutory rape law unconstitutional because it failed to allow a man accused of rape to defend claiming he did not know the girl was under 15. Source.  USAToday.com. For the complete news story, please click here (last visited June 3, 2006, reo).