What's your opinion on undecover gardaÃ* at music festivals?

Sofa King Great

Herb Powell wrote: »

I think that was the stabbing, rather than the drugs, which caused problems.

Two people died from overdoses I believe

RobertKK

If you are doing nothing illegal, you won't care.

rubadub

Hans Bricks wrote: »

It's a bohemian atmosphere at the likes of EP.

How many were actually dealing ? Not many I'd say.

It's a fucking disgraceful waste of resources.

How many could they have done for being drunk in public? in far worse states than many having a simple smoke. Is it really a health issue? if so start nabbing drunks in public, easy money -but ironically the people using the legal drugs are usually by far the most dangerous ones, so get left alone.

RobertKK wrote: »

If you are doing nothing illegal, you won't care.

Amazing as it might seem to you, people do give a fuck about others rights, even if it does not effect them, and people do care about the waste of resources etc.

Iwasfrozen

rubadub wrote: »

It's a fucking disgraceful waste of resources.

How many could they have done for being drunk in public? in far worse states than many having a simple smoke. Is it really a health issue? if so start nabbing drunks in public, easy money -but ironically the people using the legal drugs are usually by far the most dangerous ones, so get left alone.


Amazing as it might seem to you, people do give a fuck about others rights, even if it does not effect them, and people do care about the waste of resources etc.

You don't have a right to do drugs, give it up.
As for the gards all's fair in love or war. They shouldn't have been doing drugs in the first.

rubadub

Iwasfrozen wrote: »

You don't have a right to do drugs, give it up.

Many think they do, check out any of the threads talking of banning smoking or alcohol, many think it's their right.

Give up the fucking hypocrisy, it's pathetically two faced.

They shouldn't have been doing drugs in the first.

This includes doing legal drugs to the point of illegality, i.e. drunk in a public place.

Potential-Monke

rubadub wrote: »

Many think they do, check out any of the threads talking of banning smoking or alcohol, many think its their right.

Give up the fucking hypocrisy, it's pathetically two faced.

This includes doing legal drugs to the point of illegality, i.e. drunk in a public place.

Why can't people just understand that illegal drugs are illegal, no matter how many times you say they're harmless. You call it easy pickings, the law calls it the law. Yes, probably the entirety of EP could have been arrested for intoxication in a public place, but lets be realistic, there are not enough Gardai to even contemplate that. However, there are specialist units who deal with specific areas (ie: Drugs Unit). It's not a waste of resources sending them undercover to festivals, because that lad "just smoking a joint" could also be selling dodgy pills, coke cut with god knows what, or that dodgy powder (chances are slim, but there's always one).

It's simple, if you want to do something that's illegal, you have to be smart about it. Everyone and their mothers should know that festivals will have undercover Gardai, and doing illegal drugs in public is an invitation for a stop and search. Yes, they're a lot more relaxed on alcohol, and unless someone is so drunk that they're a danger to themselves or others, they won't be arrested (some in that state also are not arrested). Whereas drugs are illegal, full stop.

Keep in mind i'm pro-legalisation of certain drugs, specifically cannabis and ecstacy. So i'm no up tight anti-drug crusader, and i agree that the money saved and made from the legalisation of those drugs, plus the amount of time and effort saved on behalf of the "war against drugs" would be extremely beneficial to society as a whole (Colorado has to go to public vote due to the amount of revenue they're getting from cannabis sales, as they're making too much and are hitting the cap on how much they can earn in revenue from any one industry).

ArtSmart

What's my opinion on undercover garda at music festivals?

They charge too much.

rubadub

Potential-Monke wrote: »

no matter how many times you say they're harmless.

I said they're harmless? people in this thread said they're harmless? I must have missed that one... FFS... same old fucking pathetic shite...

Far from harmless.

ArtSmart

Hans Bricks wrote: »

I usually can't stand anti garda victim complexes, but ive witnessed them at festivals before pathetically veering their heads in and out of tents and camp groups waiting to nab stonerss. It seems more like a log book and revenue exercise than protecting society. It's a bohemian atmosphere at the likes of EP. Heard portlaoise court had around 300 drug charges after EP last year. How many were actually dealing ? Not many I'd say.

The thing is, they (the Guards) have to do what they're told by the brass.

And ultimately their bosses are politicians.

And, ultimately, we're the boss of politicians.

So...

Potential-Monke

rubadub wrote: »

I said they're harmless? people in this thread said they're harmless? I must have missed that one... FFS... same old fucking pathetic shite...

Far from harmless.

Mypologies, but that is a common statement made.

Trabejo

I tend to try to avoid them when I am at festivals doing drugs. They tend to spoil the party and should appreciate getting paid to see some pretty cool musical acts without feeling the need to bust anyone.

This isn't Narcos and Pablo Escobar, our typical 'undercover narc' will probably be home for supper with his mommy telling her all about his big pot bust at the Electronic Pickle festival

J Mysterio

Who let all the dryballs in

Massimo Cassagrande

Lol. "Dodgy pills". As opposed to what? Ones with kite-marks? The phrase "willful waste of time" springs to mind. "You're nicked sonny..." Great success. Crime 0. Gardai 1.

wakka12

Are we going to try and paint drug dealers as victims in this now

daRobot

Chasing drug users and small time dealers is just a total waste of resources, and they're just after headline figures for arrests made.

A bit of hash and a few yokes off the street. Bravo Gardai, the world is a safer place.

Cienciano

daRobot wrote: »

Chasing drug users and small time dealers is just a total waste of resources, and they're just after headline figures for arrests made.

A bit of hash and a few yokes off the street. Bravo Gardai, the world is a safer place.

Not only that, but it makes a load of kids think at an early age that the Gardai are a shower of wánkers.

Fred Swanson

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Trabejo

Fred Swanson wrote: »

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Yeah, district court cases being struck out, riveting stuff. Portloaise is clearly where it's at this week.

Fred Swanson

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Trabejo

Fred Swanson wrote: »

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Yeah this week should be the beginning of a massive movement against drugs. Keep your eyes on Portloaise this week folks and remember Fred Swanson identified this historic moment first.

sashafierce

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paulbok

So not everyone enjoyed War on Drugs this weekend?

MakkaaPakkaa

Fred Swanson wrote: »

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Probably drive them to cultivation.
Well done.

endacl

enricoh wrote: »

Shooting fish in a barrell, just like speed vans in a 50kph zone. But hey they can say busts are up 5% or whatever - n that's all that matters

Well, busts would be up 5%. Nothing wrong with shooting fish in a barrel if that's where the fish congregate.

Effects

wakka12 wrote: »

Are we going to try and paint drug dealers as victims in this now

sashafierce wrote: »

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I think the issue is more that Gardai often just go after the end user at a festival rather than the dealer. I've seen a number of people busted by Gardai at festivals and it's usually the quiet ones not bothering anyone that they go for as it's easier.
Busting one person rolling a joint does nothing to stop any so called national drug problem that there is.
I've only once seen a relatively big dealer get done and that was at Oxegen a few years back when about 6 Gardai swooped on a guy who had about a hundred pills.

Effects

endacl wrote: »

Well, busts would be up 5%. Nothing wrong with shooting fish in a barrel if that's where the fish congregate.

It does nothing to solve the problem. It's just massaging the crime stats. If you think that's a good thing then you're an idiot.

endacl

Effects wrote: »

It does nothing to solve the problem. It's just massaging the crime stats. If you think that's a good thing then you're an idiot.

No. If you call somebody an idiot for stating a fact, then you're an idiot.

I didn't indicate whether or not I think it's a good idea.

If this is something that happens, it strikes me as an absolute joke. I thought the Gardai were terribly under-resourced and couldn't protect rural communities anymore? And they are off busting people rolling a joint at EP? That can't be true.

What nonsense this is anyway, surely anyone with half a brain is aware that the whole dance tent (no idea what they call it anymore) is packed with people off their tits. The whole event is set up for them, what total hypocrisy to act shocked that people might take pills when you put on an event with DJs from around the world playing techno for 8 hours straight.

If we really thought that a few young folk taking drugs was the end of the world the ACTUAL way to make some sort of difference would be to refuse a license to any festival that intends to play anything other than indie-folk. Although you'd still have the weed I suppose.

sbsquarepants

Fred Swanson wrote: »

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You're right Fred. If only they'd thought of it sooner there'd be no drug problem now. At least we can rest assured that next year or the year after it'll all be sorted!

padd b1975

Good old-fashioned police work is always good to see as far as I'm concerned.

The amount of posters of the opinion that illegal drug taking/dealing is somehow not worthy of investigation is staggering.