Stay classy Gardai - Mod Note in OP

hondasam

d3exile wrote: »

ok 100% agree on the passenger window thing, and the gardaí should have kept their cool more, but the video doesn't show, he could well have walked around the back of the car, or the first female Garda could have, the camera is only forward facing, but yes 100% trying all windows and doors would be a preferential option, but given the driver's attitude it would be reasonable to suggest he wouldn't/ "couldn't" open that one either, what next?

sooner or later lads if he keeps acting the way he was the window has to go in

The gardai played right into his hands tbh, these protesters are out to cause as much hassle as they can.
Eventually the window has to go in yes but how often does this happen, rare I would think, most people comply with the direction of a garda.
This video today another one next week, all about keeping STS in the news.

Tom Joad

So we are meant to infer from a highly edited video clip (and why video in the first place) that this guy was the innocent victim of heavy handed policing!! - While it may not have been the perfect response from viewing a heavily edited video clip, don't think the guards have much option tbh!

d3exile

hondasam wrote: »

The gardai played right into his hands tbh, these protesters are out to cause as much hassle as they can.
Eventually the window has to go in yes but how often does this happen, rare I would think, most people comply with the direction of a garda.
This video today another one next week, all about keeping STS in the news.

definitely agree with you but like you say the guards played into his hand, it was their only option, they were forced into that option, they did it too soon in my opinion. most people do comply with gardaí, the silent majority of people are great and law abiding and spend no more than 30seconds at a checkpoint, then there are criminals who get the 3rd 4th and 5th degree from cops at a checkpoint, then there's eejits like this guy who should have been given 10 minutes to act the twat and THEN have the window go in on him...

ejmaztec

The driver was probably wearing a balaclava.

Tom Joad

hondasam wrote: »

The gardai played right into his hands tbh, these protesters are out to cause as much hassle as they can.
Eventually the window has to go in yes but how often does this happen, rare I would think, most people comply with the direction of a garda.
This video today another one next week, all about keeping STS in the news.

Think you have hit the nail on the head here - the guards can't win this one but they need to not only behave but to been seen to behave beyond reproach as everything they say/do is being monitored. Easy for us to say from behind a keyboard but they are human at the end of the day.

_feedback_

ejmaztec wrote: »

The driver was probably wearing a balaclava.

I know you are only joking, but you aren't far wrong. Who knows what he was doing to try and get a reaction. We can't see him at all, and definately don't know what he might have been doing in previous encounters with the gardai.

irelandrover

hondasam wrote: »

The gardai played right into his hands tbh, these protesters are out to cause as much hassle as they can.
Eventually the window has to go in yes but how often does this happen, rare I would think, most people comply with the direction of a garda.
This video today another one next week, all about keeping STS in the news.

Tom Joad wrote: »

Think you have hit the nail on the head here - the guards can't win this one but they need to not only behave but to been seen to behave beyond reproach as everything they say/do is being monitored. Easy for us to say from behind a keyboard but they are human at the end of the day.

I don't see how the garda played into their hands. Judging by this thread most people see that the driver was an idiot. A lot of people are agreeing with the actions of the garda. The person in this who actually lost something is the driver who now has a broken window.

milehip1

d3exile wrote: »

I presume you mean "lets people know who's in charge?"

so are you proving my point by listing silly things as that you cant think of a better way to get the job done? :pac:

You presume good.

Am I proving your point or am I just pointing out the absurdity of the incident?

hondasam

d3exile wrote: »

definitely agree with you but like you say the guards played into his hand, it was their only option, they were forced into that option, they did it too soon in my opinion. most people do comply with gardaí, the silent majority of people are great and law abiding and spend no more than 30seconds at a checkpoint, then there are criminals who get the 3rd 4th and 5th degree from cops at a checkpoint, then there's eejits like this guy who should have been given 10 minutes to act the twat and THEN have the window go in on him...

If you think about it where else would this happen and make the news or YouTube. It could only happen at STS because if it happened anywhere else no one would care.

Tom Joad wrote: »

Think you have hit the nail on the head here - the guards can't win this one but they need to not only behave but to been seen to behave beyond reproach as everything they say/do is being monitored. Easy for us to say from behind a keyboard but they are human at the end of the day.

They know every time they stop anyone there it's recorded. Maybe that was the first time that guard was at STS but he should be well aware of what happens.

hondasam

irelandrover wrote: »

I don't see how the garda played into their hands. Judging by this thread most people see that the driver was an idiot. A lot of people are agreeing with the actions of the garda. The person in this who actually lost something is the driver who now has a broken window.

I agree with the actions of the guard as well, the driver was an idiot but it was all done to highlight STS and show the gardai in a bad light.
Who else would bother putting it on YouTube only these protesters.
All these claims of police brutality and false video's etc.
Don't get me wrong the gardai are not looking great sometimes either.

ejmaztec

elviscostello wrote: »

I know you are only joking, but you aren't far wrong. Who knows what he was doing to try and get a reaction. We can't see him at all, and definately don't know what he might have been doing in previous encounters with the gardai.

Hopefully, should the driver end up in court, we'll get the other side of the story as well, and not just the one-sided edited version that we've got now.

monkeybutter

OIL ask my questions first. ha ha

Asmodean

This is the same ****e that's happening a lot in America now at the moment. A few cops were caught on tape being dickheads ( which is completely out of order by the way ) and now every pleb with a camcorder thinks he's some cutting edge journalist. I understand some Guards are pig ignorant and they all have a duty to uphold the law in a fair and safe manner but that doesn't mean that it gives us the right to act the complete arse with them just because we have some bigger agenda that we are trying to prove.
I do agree with transparency within any kind of law enforcement and if the Guards have nothing to hide the recording shouldn't present any sort of problem for them but this hidden camera stuff still really pisses me off when the source of the blame is partly due to the 'The victims' behaviour aswell as that of the police themsevles.

Paparazzo

The videos are such bad propaganda for the Shell to Sea clowns, sometimes I actually think it's Shell that's putting them out.
Every one of them that was posted on AH make the protesters out to be complete dickheads

monkeybutter

The reactions on this thread show Irish people in a very bad light indeed.

The police are not a bunch of thugs, they should behave in a professional manner. I would hope that a complaint is lodged on this and that the one that broke the window is suspended at least.

I'd certianly be suing them for damages, whiplash etc etc

It's a disgrace

Tipp Man

monkeybutter wrote: »

The reactions on this thread show Irish people in a very bad light indeed.

The police are not a bunch of thugs, they should behave in a professional manner. I would hope that a complaint is lodged on this and that the one that broke the window is suspended at least.

I'd certianly be suing them for damages, whiplash etc etc

It's a disgrace

How the hell do you get whiplash as a result of a breaking window in a stationary car??

No wonder insurance costs are going through the roof

_feedback_

monkeybutter wrote: »

The reactions on this thread show Irish people in a very bad light indeed.

The police are not a bunch of thugs, they should behave in a professional manner. I would hope that a complaint is lodged on this and that the one that broke the window is suspended at least.

I'd certianly be suing them for damages, whiplash etc etc

It's a disgrace

Disgrace alright.

My name is URL

monkeybutter wrote: »

I'd certianly be suing them for damages, whiplash etc etc

It's a disgrace

hahahahaa wtf!

hondasam

monkeybutter wrote: »

The reactions on this thread show Irish people in a very bad light indeed.

The police are not a bunch of thugs, they should behave in a professional manner. I would hope that a complaint is lodged on this and that the one that broke the window is suspended at least.

I'd certianly be suing them for damages, whiplash etc etc

It's a disgrace

What happened to the last court case ? whiplash from what, he was stopped sitting in his car.
It's a disgrace that we are still paying for the ****e that's going on.

griffdaddy

Not that I agree with gards being heavy handed or anything, but there's a good chance that the incident in Tipperary was fresh in their mind. If I was a Garda I'd be increasingly worried about someone unloading a gun in my face or slashing my face arbitrarily.

Seachmall

ejmaztec wrote: »

Hopefully, should the driver end up in court, we'll get the other side of the story as well, and not just the one-sided edited version that we've got now.

He was released without charged and had not committed an offense.

Taking this into consideration it begs the question, what law justifies this use of force?

The RTA makes no mention of using force when someone fails to produce their license.

The guy was most likely a shit-stirring dickhead but that doesn't void the fact these, or at least one of these, Gardai acted in a manner that was dangerous and not in accordance with the law.

People seem happy to gloss over that simply because the guy was an idiot.

Go Tobban

With regards to this video, two wrongs don't make a right. Both parties acted idiotically but the garda is supposed to be the professional one here, he failed to do his job correctly, simple as that

Where To wrote: »

If this was the US driver wouldn't be too healthy now.:p

Gardai put up with far too much sh** in this country

All I'll say on this is thank fcuk we don't have a police force like they do in America

Ricardo G

griffdaddy wrote: »

Not that I agree with gards being heavy handed or anything, but there's a good chance that the incident in Tipperary was fresh in their mind. If I was a Garda I'd be increasingly worried about someone unloading a gun in my face or slashing my face arbitrarily.

In fairness, you can't use that as an excuse, thats part of the job to expect the unexpected.. The driver was no doubt an idiot, what was stopping him opening the passenger window and shouting out ?? As most posters have said i don't agree with a lot of the methods used by our fine force but they were right to do what they did in this instance

monkeybutter

griffdaddy wrote: »

Not that I agree with gards being heavy handed or anything, but there's a good chance that the incident in Tipperary was fresh in their mind. If I was a Garda I'd be increasingly worried about someone unloading a gun in my face or slashing my face arbitrarily.

After hearing this, I have changed my mind, for no reason I now think this guy was a dickhead, was totally at fault and all police should now carry guns and should cap anyone they believe might be a threat, no matter how trivial and with no recourse to justice.

I wonder would this increase or decrease the chances of getting shot on the job for yer average plod?

hondasam

Seachmall wrote: »

The guy was most likely a shit-stirring dickhead but that doesn't void the fact these, or at least one of these, Gardai acted in a manner that was dangerous and not in accordance with the law.

People seem happy to gloss over that simply because the guy was an idiot.

He had to come out of that car one way or the other, he refused to open the door and come out willingly so what option was left.
Do you think the gardai should stand there and talk nice to him until he decided to comply with the direction.
He knew what he was doing and we all know that.

Faolchu

elviscostello wrote: »

He was being uncooperative. He didn't move the car to where they asked. Any right minded person would find another way to communicate the "broken motor" problem with Gardai within seconds.

He made no attempt to co-operate.

pretty sure he verbally refuses he says "no I'm not opening it" when the garda without the high viz jacket comes up. the garda also motioned and asked him to move to the side of the road at least three times and he refused. pretty sure he was also asked to produce his license, so thats two legitimate requests he ignores/fails to repsond to. he could have easily opened the door slightly which i've done in the past or opened the other window and explained. he didnt, he was being a dick. even after the window is smashed and hes asked to get out he refuses and teh garda has to ask him a couple of times

griffdaddy

Ricardo G wrote: »

In fairness, you can't use that as an excuse, thats part of the job to expect the unexpected.. The driver was no doubt an idiot, what was stopping him opening the passenger window and shouting out ?? As most posters have said i don't agree with a lot of the methods used by our fine force but they were right to do what they did in this instance

By doing what they did were they not expecting the unexpected? That's my point. Better to smash someone's window in when they're becoming extremely uncooperative than to get shot in the face or whatever else might happen. Why take the risk? (Obviously I'm not suggesting that this should become procedural or that cops getting shot in the face is some kind of daily occurrence but there's a certain protocol that should be followed)

monkeybutter

Ricardo G wrote: »

In fairness, you can't use that as an excuse, thats part of the job to expect the unexpected.. The driver was no doubt an idiot, what was stopping him opening the passenger window and shouting out ?? As most posters have said i don't agree with a lot of the methods used by our fine force but they were right to do what they did in this instance

Just so you know this, and looking at your post, and the fact that you think the police acted properly, I'd reckon you don't already know this, you cannot expect the unexpected. Once you expect it, it can no longer be unexpected.

monkeybutter

griffdaddy wrote: »

By doing what they did were they not expecting the unexpected? That's my point. Better to smash someone's window in when they're becoming extremely uncooperative than to get shot in the face or whatever else might happen. Why take the risk? (Obviously I'm not suggesting that this should become procedural or that cops getting shot in the face is some kind of daily occurrence but there's a certain protocol that should be followed)

Your point is that they were expecting the unexpected? That is not possible

Are you saying shoot first ask questions later? Is this your point?

Seachmall

hondasam wrote: »

He had to come out of that car one way or the other, he refused to open the door and come out willingly so what option was left.
Do you think the gardai should stand there and talk nice to him until he decided to comply with the direction.
He knew what he was doing and we all know that.

From what I heard, and obviously we can't hear everything, they demanded he roll down his window and/or exit the car.

You're not obliged to do either unless there is reasonable suspicion that you have or are going to commit an offence.

You are obliged to present your license, and failing to do so is an offence, but there's no indication in the video they requested his license before they smashed his window in.

Of course it's possible they did and we just didn't hear it but going by the video alone the Gardai were in the wrong.