Garda are nowhere to be seen while city center is overrun by crime and drugs

The_Brood

Have lived in Dublin for a few years now and nowhere else in the civilized world have I found a city center and surrounding areas so overrun with thuggery, drugs, and crime. People drugged out of their minds flailing about, women getting constantly harassed on the streets, knackers assaulting people, robberies, just absolute lunacy all over the city center and not a garda in sight. You'll see them every once in a while in chippers, but not actually out on the streets clamping down on this behavior.

Even worse though is the "justice" system that just lets these guys go with a slap on the wrist back on the streets - the rare times they even get caught.

People always say "well look at other big cities they are rough too" but this is the city center. This is the main community hub of the entire city. If the garda aren't here, if they have lost control of even the center, then there is absolutely no hope for any other neighborhood.

Nobody wants a police state like America, but this is the exact opposite extreme, where there is absolutely no safety and protection for the public, and no justice against thugs. We need to wake up and demand radical improvement.

cruais

Am I just lucky that I seem to see them all the time in town? GPO, Grafton St etc

I agree with you that the city centre is a kip. I blame two issues regarding our crime situation

Number 1 being the boring word..... resources
Lacking completely. One can only work with what they have

Number 2. Our judicial system is a sham and is not a deterrent for these scum to re-offend

Birneybau

Someday a real rain will come, and wash the scum off the streets.

Gavin "shels"

Where are you not seeing Guards? Always one at the GPO - they regularly patrol around Talbot St & Westmoreland St due to junkie activity.

donkeykong5

Well there were loads in city centre last Saturday. Haven't seen so many in ages. Where was it again............oh yeah . Some parade!

Boxing.Fan

If is bad but it's no worse than cities such as Marseille Naples or Barcelona. That doesnt mean we should accept it though.

Ballso

I see Garda everywhere, dunno what you are talking about. I don't see these hordes of violent criminals you are talking about either, where are they?

I think we've a lot of very sheltered individuals living in our city.

The_Brood

Ballso wrote: »

I see Garda everywhere, dunno what you are talking about. I don't see these hordes of violent criminals you are talking about either, where are they?

I think we've a lot of very sheltered individuals living in our city.

Very likely it is you who are the sheltered individual if you have not seen or been confronted by the gangs roaming around city centre.

Clearly you have never had a knife pulled out on you in broad daylight. You're not a woman who has been followed and harassed. You've never been pelted with rocks on the street or on the bus. And a lot of this happening up and down O'Connell street - before we even mention the druggies and needles that seem to be an entirely accepted and normalized feature.

People should have the right to be able to walk in a city without the fear of being mugged or stalked or knifed. The fact that it is happening right smack in the city centre speaks of insane incompetency and lack of concern.

Edit: And looks like I'm lucky to only be pelted by rocks, they are throwing hatchets now too: https://www.dublinlive.ie/news/dublin-news/woman-hatchet-thrown-head-teens-16527917

Absolutely pathetic when people deny what is going on.

Ahhh, sure aren't we due one of these threads. It's been a while.

Lux23

What I find hilarious is the lads selling party drugs near Stephen's Green, it's so out in the open.

tricky D

Birneybau wrote: »

Someday a real rain will come, and wash the scum off the streets.

Mod: please note the last point in the DC charter in relation to posting this stuff on thread again.

abcabc123123

Oddly I've never had any of this stuff happen to me, despite living and working in the city for the better part of the last 15 years.

I've had potatoes thrown at me though and a kid hit me on the head with a chip last week (and then called me a paedo/****). It was harrowing stuff altogether.

diceyreilly

Worked in town for 20 odd years ( don’t now )
Junkies absolutely everywhere. But 99 per cent of them are harmless and wouldn’t go anywhere near you. Some might ask you for a few coppers but that’s it.

Used ( prob still is) to be a bitta kip around the summer holidays kids up to no good, but what you read on here you’d swear we were living in the projects in Baltimore.

Thelonious Monk

There are many problems with Dublin city centre but as with most cities in the developed world it's totally safe.
There's a really bad heroin problem in Dublin and a lot of them live in and around the inner city, so that makes it more visible. I lived in London for years, in rough enough areas, and I never saw heroin addicts, it's really in your face in Dublin though.
I was cycling down Amiens st this morning at around 0715 and I saw a heroin addict worse for wear stumbling a bit and then he just went flat on his face, when I turned around he was still there so he could be dead for all I know, people just walked right past him, and I kept cycling.
I used to think of these addicts as scum and would get a laugh out of the state of them shouting at each other etc, but it's not their fault they were born into whatever horrible upbringing they've had, or lack of. These people need help and for all the money our Gov wastes they could probably give them the help they need for not all that much funding. They throw money at various causes like refugees and travellers etc but don't do a lot for the heroin scurge of Dublin. There but for the grace of God go I.

H3llR4iser

As someone who's been living here for a decade but comes from a different country - and has been around a bit of the world, well, I have zero idea what you're talking about OP. Compared to other main cities / capitals, Dublin has very little of the issues you mention; Go visit some cities out of this list:

Madrid
Rome
New York
London
Naples
Liverpool
Turin
Chicago
Barcelona
Paris


and see for yourself. Even the "homeless crisis" will look like a fabrication, in comparison. Traffic? Try getting home from Rome city center any day of the week or spend 3 hours not moving an inch on the I-90 towards O'Hare, then you'll know what a traffic jam really is.

Now, obviously if you compare Dublin with Ballysomething, well, then sure, it's a cesspit of crime, homelessness, drugs and whatever else.

Thelonious Monk

Yeah I found Turin to be rough af

Strumms

I’ve spent copious amounts of time in Madrid and Paris where I used to live. Madrid in particular is of of the nicest and safest cities I’ve visited. Paris there are a fair few beggars in more deprived areas around metro stations etc and the odd con artist around touristy spots but that’s even been clamped down upon massively.

I’ve traversed both cities at all times of day and night without issue.

In Dublin I’ve been robbed at syringe point in the Iilac Center and a friend who I was with was the victim of an unprovoked assault that caused a serious facial injury which required two surgeries and long term rehabilitation. All in Dublin, all unprovoked, on both occasions the Gardai completely useless.

caff

Ye worked on lower Abbey Street for years never noticed much. GF works there too and doesn't fear for her life.

Is the Op a tabloid journalist fishing for an article?

Thelonious Monk

Strumms wrote: »

I’ve spent copious amounts of time in Madrid and Paris where I used to live. Madrid in particular is of of the nicest and safest cities I’ve visited. Paris there are a fair few beggars in more deprived areas around metro stations etc and the odd con artist around touristy spots but that’s even been clamped down upon massively.

I’ve traversed both cities at all times of day and night without issue.

In Dublin I’ve been robbed at syringe point in the Iilac Center and a friend who I was with was the victim of an unprovoked assault that caused a serious facial injury which required two surgeries and long term rehabilitation. All in Dublin, all unprovoked, on both occasions the Gardai completely useless.

I mean there are hookers everywhere in Madrid, it has it's own set of problems, but yeah maybe you're less likely to get in a scuffle there because they just seem a bit more placid than Irish gurriers overall.
I was also held up with a syringe in Dublin in about 1996 now that I think of it, the only place in the world anything like that has happened to me.

The_Brood

Right so because some people here haven't been held by knife point or been sexually harassed it means anyone who says they have is lying or exagerrating?

What an utter joke.

And it is absolute madness to compare Dublin to massive mega cities like New York and London. I'm not even gonna bother with that one
.

Strumms

Thelonious Monk wrote: »

I mean there are hookers everywhere in Madrid, it has it's own set of problems, but yeah maybe you're less likely to get in a scuffle there because they just seem a bit more placid than Irish gurriers overall.
I was also held up with a syringe in Dublin in about 1996 now that I think of it, the only place in the world anything like that has happened to me.

Wherever you’ve been hanging out in Madrid looking for or encountering hookers I can assure you they are not everywhere. By the nature of their profession they do want to be ‘accessible’ to a point but I’ve never happened across them. I’ve spent more time in Madrid then any city with the exceptions of Dublin, Nice and Paris and again not encountered them.

Thelonious Monk

Strumms wrote: »

Wherever you’ve been hanging out in Madrid looking for or encountering hookers I can assure you they are not everywhere. By the nature of their profession they do want to be ‘accessible’ to a point but I’ve never happened across them. I’ve spent more time in Madrid then any city with the exceptions of Dublin, Nice and Paris and again not encountered them.

You never saw them hanging around Puerto del Sol?

Strumms

Thelonious Monk wrote: »

You never saw them hanging around Puerto del Sol?

It’s an area I’d only have visited during the day and it’s thronged with tourists and shoppers, I’m normally staying in the Radisson Blu Prado.

vriesmays

Birneybau wrote: »

Someday a real rain will come, and wash the scum off the streets.

Including the dopes by the GPO handing out free food to the homeless to shame the Government instead of doing this outside Dáil.

Thelonious Monk

Strumms wrote: »

It’s an area I’d only have visited during the day and it’s thronged with tourists and shoppers, I’m normally staying in the Radisson Blu Prado.

Well anyway, a few girls soliciting in short skirts isn't as bad as roaming junkie hoards I suppose, the poor divils

Strumms

vriesmays wrote: »

Including the dopes by the GPO handing out free food to the homeless to shame the Government instead of doing this outside Dáil.

GPO fine but I’d say if it was moved to the Dáil it would last all of five minutes. Gardai would put a stop to it.

Infernal Racket

Guards have been arresting these junkies and street criminals for years. I guarantee you that at least 20 or 30 of these criminals go through Pearse St and Store St garda stations every day of the week. They arrest them, they charge them, they take them to court and the judges keep letting them on out the big revolving door. Now ask yourself, if you were an ordinary uniformed garda walking the streets day in and day out, would you bother your hole arresting these guys for petty crime??

Thelonious Monk

Being a heroin addict should not be a crime imo

Strumms

Strumms wrote: »

I’ve spent copious amounts of time in Madrid and Paris where I used to live. Madrid in particular is of of the nicest and safest cities I’ve visited. Paris there are a fair few beggars in more deprived areas around metro stations etc and the odd con artist around touristy spots but that’s even been clamped down upon massively.

I’ve traversed both cities at all times of day and night without issue.

In Dublin I’ve been robbed at syringe point in the Iilac Center and a friend who I was with was the victim of an unprovoked assault that caused a serious facial injury which required two surgeries and long term rehabilitation. All in Dublin, all unprovoked, on both occasions the Gardai completely useless.

I'm sorry these things have happened to you but your experience is basically irrelevant to how safe or unsafe a city is overall. I've spent my whole life in Dublin, went to school in the city, University in the city, work in the city, bought my house in the North inner city and I've never been the victim of crime. This obviously doesn't mean there is no crime.

Amirani

Strumms wrote: »

I’ve spent copious amounts of time in Madrid and Paris where I used to live. Madrid in particular is of of the nicest and safest cities I’ve visited. Paris there are a fair few beggars in more deprived areas around metro stations etc and the odd con artist around touristy spots but that’s even been clamped down upon massively.

I’ve traversed both cities at all times of day and night without issue.

You've obviously been very selective in your traversing of Paris so.

Strumms

Amirani wrote: »

You've obviously been very selective in your traversing of Paris so.

I would say no, I had and have friends living in various arrondissements across the city and have socialized extensively throughout the city. The only places I felt and WOULD have been and be a little extra wary would have been in and around Clichy / Pigalle and Chatelet, particularly after dark but they were to be avoided usually unless there was a gig that we wanted to see.. or something else specific. But those places are reasonably well policed.

Ballso

Strumms wrote: »

I would say no, I had and have friends living in various arrondissements across the city and have socialized extensively throughout the city. The only places I felt and WOULD have been and be a little extra wary would have been in and around Clichy / Pigalle and Chatelet, particularly after dark but they were to be avoided usually unless there was a gig that we wanted to see.. or something else specific. But those places are reasonably well policed.

Some parts of cities are nicer than others shocker. I generally avoid Abbey St/O'Connell St area and have no issues in Dublin.

Birneybau

tricky D wrote: »

Mod: please note the last point in the DC charter in relation to posting this stuff on thread again.

It's a quote from a very famous film. And a joke on my behalf.

BurnUp78

Lux23 wrote: »

What I find hilarious is the lads selling party drugs near Stephen's Green, it's so out in the open.

Could you digress more information about these party drugs and what the lads look like/what time I could find them? ... so I can report them to the garda of course

Franz Von Peppercorn II

Thelonious Monk wrote: »

Being a heroin addict should not be a crime imo

Someday a rain...

Oh that’s been done. Btw it’s a famous quote from taxi driver.

I firmly believe that if you go after the petty crimes you can clear a lot of the bigger ones.

As for how violent Dublin is it feels more violent than it is, but even at that low level of verbal intimidation it’s not comfortable especially for minorities.

And if you haven’t been getting aggro you may be unconsciously avoiding it. Decide to walk the city and not avert your eyes from the scrotes who are staring everybody down as they walk past and you’ll start some aggro.

Wildly Boaring

Resources have to be an issue.

Drogheda, longford and I think granard all got huge resource in last while. They had low numbers and now have large numbers to deal with eh "travelling gangs"

Garda overtime has been cut this year.

Resources aren't magic

Spanish Eyes

Had a free day today and went to meet a friend in Dun Laoghaire, public transport as we planned on having a bottle of nice vino with lunch.

So I crossed OC Bridge, all good so far, walked down Eden Quay, ok, crossed the Rosie H Bridge, and it was like heroin central. No Garda presence so far either. Got across the bridge after ten or so requests for money.

On to Tara Street Station. Ok. Got on DART. Obv selected the wrong carriage. 12 noon and about six idiots were drinking and roaring. Got off next stop and moved carriage.

Dun Laoghaire was fine, despite the rep I have heard about.

Back on the DART, a gang of ten year olds yes, they were that young were screaming, swearing and off their heads on something and racially abusing a young man of colour. I shouted SHHHHH! and to my utmost surprise they did quieten down. For a minute. Awful stuff altogether.

Throughout the whole day from noon until about 4 or so never saw ONE Garda anywhere. Is that a record!

Drew Harris needs to up the game big time here.

Oh and the signs on the DART were for stations in the opposite direction too. God help our tourists and those unfamiliar with the stops.

Had a nice day though.

The_Brood

Multiple beatings and stabbings just in the days this thread was posted, the Luas two people were stabbed near city center showing not even the public transport is safe.

I'm sure people will continue acting like there's no crisis with lack of policing - until something happens to them or their loved ones. Blind.

dd973

I often wonder about first time visitors from mainland Europe or further afield, they're sat on their Aer Lingus reading that schmaltzy, glossy magazine with the red haired Caillin hostess on the front (all perfect teeth and cheekbones) wherein everybody is some symmetrically featured member of the beautiful Hiberno-people turning their hand to fashion, design, music, arts and crafts, etc.

Then they get off the Aircoach in O'Connell St and are presented with this...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2jCkJl1PB_M

Fan of Netflix

The_Brood wrote: »

Multiple beatings and stabbings just in the days this thread was posted, the Luas two people were stabbed near city center showing not even the public transport is safe.

I'm sure people will continue acting like there's no crisis with lack of policing - until something happens to them or their loved ones. Blind.

Its a filthy lawless kip. This is from the other day in one of the "nice areas"

antodeco

Funny thing is, every morning/evening, as I drive past the government building on the quays, there is a queue of lads waiting to buy their drugs. A literal queue. Every day, every week, every month. Surely the guards cant be THAT blind to something so obvious?

vriesmays

Roma getting fed for free by clueless do-gooders in Grafton St the evenings.

Ballso

dd973 wrote: »

I often wonder about first time visitors from mainland Europe or further afield, they're sat on their Aer Lingus reading that schmaltzy, glossy magazine with the red haired Caillin hostess on the front (all perfect teeth and cheekbones) wherein everybody is some symmetrically featured member of the beautiful Hiberno-people turning their hand to fashion, design, music, arts and crafts, etc.

Then they get off the Aircoach in O'Connell St and are presented with this...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2jCkJl1PB_M

Zzzzz. We get six million tourists a year and are consistently voted top of destination lists. People find the city safe and friendly. It's a bit sad the posters here desperately wanting people to dislike Dublin.

I spent the day in town today, nobody mugged me or stabbed me or killed me or looked at me in a mean way or threw anything at me or harrassed me. I didn't notice any junkies or crime or any of the other things the sad sacks here fixate on. Sorry lads.

Draco

Fan of Netflix wrote: »

Its a filthy lawless kip. This is from the other day in one of the "nice areas"

I live in one of the apartment blocks off the square and the junkies have never given me any hassle, but the people Airbnbing in the building have. There's a regular Garda presence in the area and in general the junkies keep themselves to themselves. The largest anti-social problem comes from the noise of people returning to the Generator hostel.

Strumms

Fan of Netflix wrote: »

Its a filthy lawless kip. This is from the other day in one of the "nice areas"

‘Great’ thing about that scummer is he decided to ‘confront’ and assault the victim from behind, when he’s sitting down not minding anyone, then legs it. Some dirty, classless fûckwit.

The_Brood

Ballso wrote: »

Zzzzz. We get six million tourists a year and are consistently voted top of destination lists. People find the city safe and friendly. It's a bit sad the posters here desperately wanting people to dislike Dublin.

I spent the day in town today, nobody mugged me or stabbed me or killed me or looked at me in a mean way or threw anything at me or harrassed me. I didn't notice any junkies or crime or any of the other things the sad sacks here fixate on. Sorry lads.

Most people in any place around the world will be fine most days. How does that mean crime and danger doesn't exist? Are all of us, including the media, making it all up? Insane.

Fan of Netflix

There is now broad acceptance that large swathes of the city centre and other suburbs in Dublin are lawless kips. The community and political will to change this is completely absent. Many of these areas are very poorly represented politically.

For decent people, the answer is mostly to move out of these areas and to somewhere with a proper community, better policing and other basic requirements. Enjoy the benefits of the city centre such as the social life and restaurants, try to avoid the lawless thugs and then go back home to the nice areas of Dublin or the counties outside Dublin which are much better places to live and raise a family.

Ballso

The_Brood wrote: »

Most people in any place around the world will be fine most days. How does that mean crime and danger doesn't exist? Are all of us, including the media, making it all up? Insane.

You are grossly exaggerating these issues. I've lived in the city centre for ten years without incident. The city is very safe. Listening to sad bitter internet dwellers making ridiculous claims gets tiresome.

Anyway I'm off to Camden St for lunch, wish me luck for a safe return!

Fan of Netflix

Ballso wrote: »

You are grossly exaggerating these issues. I've lived in the city centre for ten years without incident. The city is very safe. Listening to sad bitter internet dwellers making ridiculous claims gets tiresome.

Anyway I'm off to Camden St for lunch, wish me luck for a safe return!

This is the sort of sensitive defensive remark that illustrates why this issue will never be tackled. The solution OP is sadly move to an area with a better community spirit.

What we see instead in the city is people dumping their rubbish in the middle of the street expecting others to clean it for them.

Yakult

Dublin is a cess pit. Probably up there with the worst cities in Europe.

Guards do nothing everywhere. Not just Dublin though. Hell, go out into the sticks and you'll be lucky if the guards would even respond to a call or have the resources to respond to the call.

Country is ****ed.

Ballso

Yakult wrote: »

Dublin is a cess pit. Probably up there with the worst cities in Europe.

Guards do nothing everywhere. Not just Dublin though. Hell, go out into the sticks and you'll be lucky if the guards would even respond to a call or have the resources to respond to the call.

Country is ****ed.

Decided that tourists and immigrants have nothing to worry about after all did you? Nice edit.

Anyway lads I went to Camden St for lunch and had a nice chicken burger. A mean boy looked at me. At least I think he was mean, he looked a bit poor. It was very frightening.

Am I doing it right?

I'll hand it back to the boards.ie weeny neckbeard pissypants internet society for further comment on how terrifying everything is.