graphic images on shop-street very disturbing

shot2go

are they allowed?
had the kids in town the weekend, parked in corbett court and came out the back door and right around the corner outside 02 was a very graphic pictures, i was very shocked at it tbh and the kids were asking alot off questions. i have not been down shop-street on a Saturday on a while so maybe this is not a new thing.

Ficheall

Could you elaborate?

shot2go

it was a prolife group and they had graphic images, the one that i seen and the kids was a babys head being held up by a tongs - just the head.
maybe its fact i buried a baby myself that i found it very upsetting but i just think its very disturbing, my 6 year old kept looking back and asking where the rest off the baby was.

beardybrewer

Personally that technique really doesn't endear me to any cause. There should be the same common sense applied to those images as to nudity.

francois

If you find the pictures offensive and upsetting or your kids do, say so to a Garda, they are obliged to investigate and if neccessary remove the offending pictures

Paddyfield

These self named 'pro-lifers' annoy me. I saw them at the entrance to Edward Square on Saturday with large photographs of what they claim is an aborted fetus. Maybe it is, maybe it isn't but either way, they should be more considerate to the welfare of children on the street who they have inadvertently saved!!!

I personally do not support abortion but if someone else wants to terminate a pregnancy, that's their business. Same if they want to support Man United, eat boiled bananas or jump off a bridge... I can't decide for others nor do I want to.

Surely they can come up with a less graphic method of promoting their beliefs. The shock value is under-weighed by the potential to upset children.

I'm just glad my young kids didn't see the photos.

Robbo

francois wrote: »

If you find the pictures offensive and upsetting or your kids do, say so to a Garda, they are obliged to investigate and if neccessary remove the offending pictures

Section 7, Public Order Act. That said, the proofs are a little higher than usual for that section but I'm sure the mention of it from a Garda will have them moved on quickstyle.

shot2go

i think i might give the guards in mill-street a call see is there anything that can be done about it, they cant be doing business that they set up outside any favors either. if they want to collect signatures that's fine it can easily be done without these images. I don't see what purpose they have except to upset people that have had abortions or lost baby's.

shot2go

ive made a complaint to Galway county council. will see what they say.

xflyer

Those fanatics used to show similar pictures in Dublin years ago. Nothing was done then. It's sick in my opinion.

We're too tolerant of religious nutcases in this country. In any case what's the point of this campaign? They won the battle to keep Ireland a 'holy Catholic country' without abortion long ago.

BhoscaCapall

Pro Lifers are the biggest adverts for abortion going

Paddyfield

shot2go wrote: »

ive made a complaint to Galway county council. will see what they say.

You are barking up the wrong tree. You should reroute your compliant to Galway City Council because it happened in the city.

That said, I don't think it is within their remit unless the pro-lifers were handing out leaflets which is considered a littering offense if the leaflets are dumped on the street.

shot2go

your right il resend it, they were handing out leaflets that were all over the street,they ran after me and another went after my partner he had younger kids in buggy and i had older child we both refused leaflets. there was leaflets all down shopstreet from them

BhoscaCapall

It's hilarious how big a contrast there is between the romantic memory of the rebellious Irish and the disgusting spineless attitude of those in the present day.

Why not tell these people to their faces how you feel? Express your discontent to them, they obviously have no qualms about airing grievances in the middle of the street.

Or you could go and file some paper work with whatever inept a***hole you bump into in the County Hall. Your shout really.

Hyperbullet

They seem to show up every few months and try to shove a leaflet down your neck along with those graphic posters. I'm all for freedom of expression but what they do is too extreme and endears no one to their cause. Saw a guy arguing with them once about their posters and they roared and screamed at him, accusing him of being ignorant and one told him he was going to hell.

So basically a group that are willing to have a constructive debate. :mad:

shot2go

my email is being forwarded to the Wardens Department - message from Galway city council.

i did not say anything to them because i had 3 young kids with me and i have heard story's off people confronting them about the photos been verbally abused.

maybe if there is enough complaints they will be refused a permit next time they apply.

Paddyfield

shot2go wrote: »

my email is being forwarded to the Wardens Department - message from Galway city council.

i did not say anything to them because i had 3 young kids with me and i have heard story's off people confronting them about the photos been verbally abused.

maybe if there is enough complaints they will be refused a permit next time they apply.

Permits are only required when financial activity occurs....collecting money or selling stuff.

ben.schlomo

BhoscaCapall wrote: »

It's hilarious how big a contrast there is between the romantic memory of the rebellious Irish and the disgusting spineless attitude of those in the present day.

Why not tell these people to their faces how you feel? Express your discontent to them, they obviously have no qualms about airing grievances in the middle of the street.

Or you could go and file some paper work with whatever inept a***hole you bump into in the County Hall. Your shout really.

Yes because arguing in the street will legally move them on?? :rolleyes:

inisboffin

They aren't rational in any shape or form. I tried, years ago to engage with them when they were outside where I was working. They only made me angry and kept shouting fire and brimstone statements in a loop.
If they were leafleting that is something the city litter wardens can take issue with.

hairyfairy00

I was up town with my mother and daughter on Saturday when we came across them, my mum was in tears after she caught sight of the picture of the baby's head being held up by tongs.
Like many people my mother has lost babies and even after 30 odd years her pain is still raw.They also show photos of babies at different gestation's, my daughter was premature, i know what babies born at 25 weeks look like and unfortunately i have been witness to one little baby dying, and like my mother it still affects me to this day. I go up town to relax, have fun and to clear the head, not to be bombarded by some crawthumper's who think it is within their right to tell people what to do and how to live!
We saw 2 Ban-Gardai and asked them were the group allowed to display such graphic images and they told her that 'Unfortunately they were, and there was nothing they could do!'

Why are they allowed to show such images? I'm sure the 'Pro-Palestine' people would have been moved on if they showed victim's of Israeli attacks!

Eviledna

These people really tick me off, if they cared about kids they wouldn't be showing those awful images in the street for them to see. Surely that's disturbing the peace?

If as said above the guards cant do anything, what would happen if someone aimed some paint-filled water balloons/supersoaker solely at those posters to conceal them? Would that person be committing an offence to try to conceal these images? Does the right to show the offensive images supersede that kind of action? Anyone know?

(Hypothetically speaking of course, don't condone either action!;))

BhoscaCapall

hairyfairy00 wrote: »

Why are they allowed to show such images? I'm sure the 'Pro-Palestine' people would have been moved on if they showed victim's of Israeli attacks!

I guarantee you that Palestine Solidarity and 32CSM get more hassle off the Gardaí than these scumbags. Priorities :rolleyes:

hairyfairy00

Eviledna wrote: »

(Hypothetically speaking of course, don't condone either action!;))

Yeeesssss 'hypothetically'

bobbytables

Eviledna wrote: »

what would happen if someone aimed some paint-filled water balloons/supersoaker solely at those posters to conceal them?

Holy crap, that's exactly what i was thinking.

Mrs OBumble

Paddyfield wrote: »

I personally do not support abortion but if someone else wants to terminate a pregnancy, that's their business. Same if they want to support Man United, eat boiled bananas or jump off a bridge... I can't decide for others nor do I want to.

You know, I pretty much agree with you - until you get to the bit about jumping off bridges. I know might have meant it as a a figure of speech, but in Galway it's a reality. And if I see someone who's about to do it, I do feel responsible to try to stop them - at least for the sake of their family, if not themselves. And I think that the health and public-safety systems should be providing treatment to reduce the chance of people wanting to do this.

Which raises interesting questions about why I treat the two differently.

As to showing the pictures - how's it different from showing graphic pictures of malnourished kids close to death in the TV ads? Or abused animals in the newspaper. Or even letting mentally ill people wander around the streets - kids can find that very upsetting too.

Don't get me wrong, I will not ever be out there with the anti-abortion protestors (am not calling them pro-life, 'cos most don't embrace the full implications of the term through all stages of life). And I do not believe that laws are the way to address the problem.

But these folks have a right to protest in public like everyone else does. And the materials they use are not lies or exaggerations.

nlgbbbblth

Here we go again.

Shower of self-righteous pricks. Why not just wreck their stall?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S1zci07Kono

Paddyfield

JustMary wrote: »

You know, I pretty much agree with you - until you get to the bit about jumping off bridges. I know might have meant it as a a figure of speech, but in Galway it's a reality. And if I see someone who's about to do it, I do feel responsible to try to stop them - at least for the sake of their family, if not themselves. And I think that the health and public-safety systems should be providing treatment to reduce the chance of people wanting to do this.

Which raises interesting questions about why I treat the two differently.

As to showing the pictures - how's it different from showing graphic pictures of malnourished kids close to death in the TV ads? Or abused animals in the newspaper. Or even letting mentally ill people wander around the streets - kids can find that very upsetting too.

Don't get me wrong, I will not ever be out there with the anti-abortion protestors (am not calling them pro-life, 'cos most don't embrace the full implications of the term through all stages of life). And I do not believe that laws are the way to address the problem.

But these folks have a right to protest in public like everyone else does. And the materials they use are not lies or exaggerations.

Yeah JustMary, it was just a figure of speech. No bad intention on my behalf.

I actually really believe that their photographs are exaggerated. Of course they have a right to protest/demonstrate but they should use a bit of basic cop on. My perception of them is more of extremists than pro-lifers.

One of my kids was born prematurely and spent a long time in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit for sick babies in Galway University Hospital. I befriended parents of a baby girl who was born at 24 weeks gestation that weighed 459 Grammes in an incubator who not only survived but thrived. I appreciate the value of life. I am a pro-lifer in the true sense of the word.

inisboffin

I think one way of looking at what's offensive or what isn't is to ask yourself would RTE show it before watershed without a *contains images that may be upsetting* - And these images are. Also, they are often misleading, and these crowd often carry images of very late term abortions, if abortions at all.

To be honest, adults can choose to look away, whereas kids can't.

As for comparing it to suicide, of course most of us would try to talk someone out of taking their own life if we saw it happen then and there, but at the end of the day, whether we deem it selfish or not, we can't watch someone every minute of every day, and it is their life. We can however take offense if people walk around with graphic death images as a deterrent. It doesn't really do much with the Anti Abortion (I agree with you Just Mary about not calling them pro-lifers) cause.

Fey!

Here's a way for dealing with them peacefully.

The video is of the Westboro Baptist Church who are, imho, a dangerous group of fanatical God botherers.

The WBC don't particularly like the Irish, either: God Hates Ireland

cfeeneyinterior

I'm sure Macnas could organise something like that and block them away too, great idea from those angel guys! I have to say like everyone here, those poster guys really annoy people. I've often thought about tackling them but as other posters have said they would be a little too in your face. I thought flyers were not allowed anymore due to litter and the person handing them out got fined like €150 per leaflet found?..... that might quiten them a bit.

shot2go

i never knew that about flyers, they were all over shopstreet.

cat_xx

Last year they were on campus and they set up a "graveyard" for all the babies "killed" by abortion, across from the kingfisher. It was an absolute fairy of a woman doing it. It really annoyed me and many others how she was pushing her views on everybody she wouldnt let anyone else have their say either.

Eman Resu

Her body, her choice, It's that simple. In fact no one should vote on this topic other then the people it affects.

Irishgoatman

Eman Resu wrote: »

Her body, her choice, It's that simple. In fact no one should vote on this topic other then the people it affects.

The problem is that it affacts everybody in one way or another.

The woman-her partner-her family-her friends.

The chances are that she will always have someone close to her giving their opinion.

Duckjob

Arseholes.

People have a right to campaign for a cause and can show the images to people who stop and are interested in their cause. Ordinary people passing by have the right to walk down the street without having graphic images shoved in their faces and those of their families.

I would suggest next time if you have a decent camera on your phone you take photos of their setup with graphic images plastered up, and include those photos with your complaint.

Seaneh

Eman Resu wrote: »

Her body, her choice, It's that simple. In fact no one should vote on this topic other then the people it affects.

What about the Child? Do they get a vote?

shot2go

i never even taught off taking a few pictures and between us we had 2 new phones with decent cameras and i had my Nikon too to take some pics off kids.
il remember for next time if i see them again.

cat_xx im glad i did not see the "graveyard".

fishy fishy

Seaneh wrote: »

What about the Child? Do they get a vote?

you have to be 18 to vote, didn't you know that.

Gurgle

Eman Resu wrote: »

Her body, her choice, It's that simple. In fact no one should vote on this topic other then the people it affects.

Since you're hauling in *that* debate...
Her choice is to not get pregnant, after that it's not entirely her body anymore.
Abortion as contraception? Barbaric.

Pictures of aborted foetuses, baby heads etc: Those types of pro-lifers disgust me, and imho are completely missing the point anyway. Its not wrong because it makes a mess of the corpse, its wrong because a human foetus is killed.

Irishgoatman

Back to the original subject, the type of posters/pictures described by the starter of this post should not be where children are likely to see them.

Who, in their right mind, wants to have to try explain them to a young child?. Let them have their childhood not nightmares.

Asmodean

Speaking from experience I can say that it's just shock value really and will alienate a hell of a lot more people from their cause. Its similar to the Sun or some other rag of a paper printing large offensive front pages in a desperate attempt to get some attention.
I remember I was in Dublin once as a kid and I saw some similar posters and it did honestly shock me because I was so young and not used to seeing such graphic images.

fishy fishy

i think they only come out when there is a full moon.

ladhrann

Eviledna wrote: »

These people really tick me off, if they cared about kids they wouldn't be showing those awful images in the street for them to see. Surely that's disturbing the peace?

If as said above the guards cant do anything, what would happen if someone aimed some paint-filled water balloons/supersoaker solely at those posters to conceal them?

On previous occasions various groups have been moved and/or cautioned by An Garda Síochána for public indecency/obscenity. No permit is needed to protest, a permit is needed to collect monies and a certificate must be applied for and issued by the local Superindendant.

I advise you in the future to make a complaint to Mill St. Garda Station at the time of the demonstration.

tracker-man

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bgd2FBEh49c

ash23

I was in Galway a few weeks back with my 9 year old. I think when you have a child with you they think you're an easy target as you simply must be pro-life.
I'm not but the woman followed me trying to give me a leaflet. I was rushing past because all I could hear from my side was "mmmmmooooommmm, is that a baby in that picture?"
I actually (and I'm normally quite placid) told the woman to get out of my f*cking way because "excuse me" and "can I get past" and "I'm not interested" were not working.

I did NOT want to have to have a conversation about foetuses and abortion with my 9 year old on a day when we were just trying to have a girly day out for her birthday.
Had I been on my own I absolutely would have gone over and complained about the images but when you've a child with you, you've to get away as quick as you can.

These crazies are all for protecting the unborn but don't seem to mind scarring and scaring the kids who are already born.

Paddyfield

[/QUOTE]These crazies are all for protecting the unborn but don't seem to mind scarring and scaring the kids who are already born.[/QUOTE]

Nail on the head.

caramolly

Different types of people are attracted to different approaches. I personally don't believe showing those unfortunate pictures helps the cause for life.
But some posters on here are using those pictures as an excuse to attack the pro-life movement in its entirety. There are people all over Ireland, from every profession, willing to engage in respectful debate with all the stakeholders on this massively important human rights issue and it's unfair to them to write off a whole movement based on posters' opinions of one groups approach. Just saying.

yelofmail

caramolly wrote: »

Different types of people are attracted to different approaches. I personally don't believe showing those unfortunate pictures helps the cause for life.
But some posters on here are using those pictures as an excuse to attack the pro-life movement in its entirety. There are people all over Ireland, from every profession, willing to engage in respectful debate with all the stakeholders on this massively important human rights issue and it's unfair to them to write off a whole movement based on posters' opinions of one groups approach. Just saying.

I'd have to agree with you there. I believe in the humanity of the unborn and I deplore that kind of tactic. Its not a religious issue its a human rights one. The picures are upsetting and the public square is not the place for these, they are not images meant for children. However let's not use this to silence debate and discussion.

inisboffin

caramolly wrote: »

Different types of people are attracted to different approaches. I personally don't believe showing those unfortunate pictures helps the cause for life.
But some posters on here are using those pictures as an excuse to attack the pro-life movement in its entirety. There are people all over Ireland, from every profession, willing to engage in respectful debate with all the stakeholders on this massively important human rights issue and it's unfair to them to write off a whole movement based on posters' opinions of one groups approach. Just saying.

Yeah, fair enough. It is just such a heated topic for many that they cannot help but say more than comment on just the images that this group carries. Like a lot of other issues, the boundaries are muddied by misrepresentation. This is not necessarily the place for the debate on women's reproductive rights or the 'pro-life movement', but rather to discuss these people whose actions are disturbing a lot of people who have leanings on *both* sides of that debate.

Hyperbullet

If the pro-life movement want to have reasoned debate on this issue, then they should go about silencing these forceful ill informed religious lunatics with their posters as soon as possible, as it's very hard to disassociate one from the other.

inisboffin

Hyperbullet wrote: »

If the pro-life movement want to have reasoned debate on this issue, then they should go about silencing these forceful ill informed religious lunatics with their posters as soon as possible, as it's very hard to disassociate one from the other.

I think the person who made the debate was trying to make the point that they do not represent everybody, whether on the pro-choice or anti-abortion side of the debate.

I agree that it is hard to separate these nut jobs from everyone connected with that 'cause' (particularly when you disagree strongly with said cause), but I'd concede that not everyone involved in this side of the debate is reduced to tactics like the group in question.