Bank holiday clashes in Dublin

Cerdito

Did anyone witness the disorder on the streets of Dublin yesterday? Some papers are reporting that Gardai were a bit heavy handed with the protestors while others are saying it was provoked (seemingly a car was dragged out onto the road and a flare thrown inside). It would be interesting to hear a few eyewitness accounts of what really happened.......

Lemming

Got this from a friend of mine. His sister (whom I also know) sent to him and he sent it to me

I was sitting in my flat in town when i kept hearing loads of cheering and sirens going on outside. Myself and my two flatmates decided to head out and see what all the commotion was about. Turns out that what had started as a peaceful protest had turned ugly. However there were people alking around Temple Bar with blood running down their heads and many were visibly shaken.

A crowd had gathered in the Civic Offices. Many were sitting there and many police offices were on-looking to the whole scene. Looking at the police I noticed there were no numbers on their clothing. A friend of my flatmate came over to us and had not been part of the demonstration, said she was walking down Temple Bar, happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time and suddently behind her the guards started to push her and tell her to "walk faster". She couldn't believe what was going on and then the guard used his baton across her back legs. She was very angry and again the guard had no numbers on his clothes.

At this stage I went back home to get my camera. Then people started to gather in Parliament Street. I only managed to get 2 and a half minutes of footage that showed nothing since my battery ran but my flatmate also had his camera and took pictures of people's injuries.

The Comissioner of the Gardai watched as two guards pulled a man in his
early twenties down a lane and repeatedly beat him with batons. There was one guard directing the traffic on Parliament Street who was telling people not to cross the road and to disperse. The crowd was chanting at this stage and one homeless guy was standing on the side of the road. The guard came over and pushed him onto the path. The guard then took the sleeping bag off the individual which he dropped when being shoved and then threw it into the bag of the police van nearby. The guy came over to reclaim his sleeping bag and was pushed repeatedly. I don't know what happened at the end of this.

People were crossing the road at the lights at the top of Dame Street. The
guards were pushing people across the road. There was two American tourists crossing the street, again in the wrong place at the wrong time and one guard shoved the two people across the road telling them to move it. The American gentleman turned to ask what was going on and why he was being manhandled in such a manner and the guard again pushed him across the road. Nice way to treat the tourists! They were visibly not part of the
demonstration, a middle aged American couple, but at this stage the guards
were out for anybody.

I was talking to a guy that had head injuires and he was almost in tears
telling me what had happened down on Dame Street. He said there were kids on the street and everything the guards didn't care. Why were all the
guards in full riot gear when they arrived onto the scene? They were walloping people everywhere, children as young as 6 and 7 with their parents watching this.

Why did all the guards with helmets on not have numbers on their clothes?
No one could see their face, no one could identify them and they were
splitting people's heads open as is evident from the blood all over the
ground on East Essex Street.

Before I went home I went to the Civic Offices once more. There was a crowd of people sitting around watching a game of football happening. The
Commissioner on his mobile phone looking around at the whole scene while
people asked the Gardai for some kind of explanation as to their behaviour.
Gardai shyed away from the camera's and I decided to call it a day.

I was going home and there was about 7 guards outside my apartment. I live on West Essex Street. There was a woman shouting at the guards about their behaviour and how could they do what they were doing. The guards all just started laughing and told her to go home. It's quite obvious these guards think they can do what they want.

My flatmate went up to James' Hospital last night where some people we know were taken. People saying that Gardai twice their size in riot uniform,
helmets etc were just hitting them as they were defenceless.

The Gardai are supposed to "protect and serve" are they not? There were the few people there intent on causing trouble but are a group of about 250
going to be punished by being beaten, arrested and hospitalised because the Gardai couldn't handle the situation and just decided to lash out at
everyone and also the question "If the Gardai were doing nothing wrong, then why weren't their identification numbers visible".

EmilianoZapata

HEAVY HANDED

It was a massacre on the side of the police. Our crime was sitting in the road refusing to allow a garda jeep and motorbike to ram us out of the way and they immediately started cracking skulls.

Victor

Irish Times pieces:

Photo
http://www.ireland.com/newspaper/front/2002/0507/index.html

24 arrested after clashes with gardai at Dublin rally
http://www.ireland.com/newspaper/front/2002/0507/2134307155HM1RIOT.html

Garda accused of using excessive force in Dublin street protest
http://www.ireland.com/newspaper/breaking/2002/0507/breaking43.htm

Gardai without numbers breach code - spokesman
http://www.ireland.com/newspaper/breaking/2002/0507/breaking46.htm

SheroN

It was a massacre on the side of the police. Our crime was sitting in the road refusing to allow a garda jeep and motorbike to ram us out of the way and they immediately started cracking skulls

well what do you expect when you sit in the middle of a road and block up traffic on a busy bank holiday monday?...a ****ing cup of tea and a bun?...I suppose you walked to Mc Donalds on the way home, in your new pair of nike air, listening to your sony walkman.
my bollocks.
get a job..or at least a clue.

Victor

Originally posted by SheroN
block up traffic on a busy bank holiday monday

Traffic is hardly busy on College Green on a bank holiday and since when are baton charges used in traffic incidents? I think the Gardaí over-reacted* to what were foreseeable events.

*Note the French police only donned riot gear in response to occassional stone throwing at an anti-Le Pen demonstration.

SheroN

traffic incidents

when i hear traffic incidents i think of a little accident or a broken down car blocking a lane of traffic, not a few hundred scum bags intent on causing hassle, I mean if yer gonna cause hassle at least have a decent cause!

Victor

Originally posted by SheroN
not a few hundred scum bags intent on causing hassle

Scumbags like this guy?

meglome

SheroN you should lighten up, there seems to be a lot of evidence to say that a peaceful protest was stopped in its tracks by excessive force from the Gardai. We don't necessarily have to agree with their goals but they should not have been treated this way.

EmilianoZapata

1) The area was if anything one of the least busiest times I've ever seen

2)I don't eat in McDonalds or wear Nike products

3)We were peacefully walking to Stephen's Green and nothing else. I'm sure a whole 10 minutes of everyones lives won't cause them too much harm.

4)Go to http://www.indymedia.ie and look at all the pictures (look for one with a man making a peace symbol being attacked with two other people. The same person I had to help away after being twice hit in the back of the head for looking at the situation. (The second time he was hit, he was getting off the ground after being attacked already when another garda jumped out of his jeep and hit the first person he saw. This incident happened about 20 feet away from all the other attacks) Then if you download a video called Police Riot, you will see a man who is running and trips and tries to get up batoned by two gardai. Later in the video you will see the gardai baton charge people on the pathways who were told to go there by gardai if they did not want to get hurt. Just before the baton charge, 6 male gardai and one bean garda attacked a woman for refusing to hand over her beer can and anyone that came just to pull her away (and not to attack the gardai) were beaten also.

Aspro

I think yesterday's incidents bring up two issues:

1) The gradual erosion of the democratic right to protest by baton-happy riot police throughout Europe.

2) The accountability of the police and the ability of any investigations into their behaviour to come to fruition.

We do not live in a police state. Read Victor's links. This is unacceptable.

EmilianoZapata

The garda that Victor pointed out attacked many peaceful protestors who were even shouting peaceful protest. Many of his colleagues and himself were known to many of the marchers from the Burlington Hotel riots which were also instigated by the Garda Siochana.

Samson

Here's that same scumbag again (the one in his shirt sleeves without the shoulder numbers with the baton raised).

Samson

I've just been watching the six one news on RTE.
And, our friend above featured heavily (no pun intended).
I will be very interested to see what charges (if any) will be brought against this guy, because quite frankly it would be unbelievable if he is not disciplined considering the quality of the footage (he is very recognisable) and his behaviour.

Meh

I don't usually have much sympathy for the anti-globalization crowd, but I have to say it looks like the police were definitely out of line here.

atgate

These images remind me of the Garda beating the sh*te out of all the taxi drivers when they repeatedly blocked the roads around dublin not so long ago.....

Oh I forgot - they drank take-out tea with them.

B

mike65

Off topic slightly, I followed the link to Indymeadia, ha! Independance from who or what exactly, its full of student socialism the kind of right on "free the whale" guff most of us grow out of.

I liked this link in particlular- http://www.indymedia.ie/cgi-bin/newswire.cgi?id=3478, tagged "More Cool Pix!" and containing documentary evidence of criminal acts!. Very responsible reportage, not.

Oh yeah and there a bloke showing his bum, an arrest would have been fully deserved...

Mike.

Kappar

such action was inevitable given the almost complete impunity that members of the Gardaí had enjoyed in recent years.

-Liam Herrick
(Source : RTE News)

This is 100% correct; the self-investigative manner of the Garda complaints commission is disgraceful.

This kind of reaction to people, by the Garda to people is by no means isolated, I, my Friends and even my mother have witnessed disgraceful behavior by the Garda my mother has even attempted to make a complaint about an incident she witnessed and later when she went to the Garda station to make the compliant the Garda took the information and later that year she called up to inquire as to the status of the case, and was told by the board that no complaint was received and could not now make one as the statuary period had passed
Garda Complaints

Krouc

"Our crime was sitting in the road refusing to allow a garda jeep and motorbike"

Thats enough for me. Dont count on huge public support, a lot of this is old hat and who *really* gives a hoot?

Samson

Originally posted by Krouc
"Our crime was sitting in the road refusing to allow a garda jeep and motorbike"

Thats enough for me. Dont count on huge public support, a lot of this is old hat and who *really* gives a hoot?

I don't hold any sympathy for the cause of those demonstrators yesterday.
However, having read what I have read, and having seen what I have seen (video footage and photographs), I can say without any qualms whatsoever that in my opinion the Gardai behaved extremely excessively yesterday and urgent action needs to be taken.

A question for you SheroN, mike65 and Krouc:
Have you actually seen the news footage on RTE of this incident ?

Victor

Justifiable response?

potlatch

I was at the protest from the beginning right up until the end. The Gards were exceptionally behaved right up until the march down Dame Street.

The sit-down protest literally lasted about thirty seconds - it ended abruptly when we all realised that the Gards were getting ready to make arrests, with possible violence. Though I agree that, even as a protester, they were justified in their forcing the crowd off the major thoroughfare, there is no doubt that their level of violence was completely excessive, the worst I've ever seen at any protest in this country.

I also was told by someone who filmed it that the Gards cornered a group of protesters and baton-charged them despite the fact that they were backed up against a wall. Some were cracked over the head.

I found the violence on Dame St. and after extremely unusual since for five and a half hours, the Gards tolerated what was, technically, an illegal protest at Burgh Quay. I can't imagine how or why they turned from a position of benign presence to malevolent violence in a matter of what seemed like seconds. Even after the protest moved off Dame St. and trickled over to the park below Christ Church, the Gards saw fit to dispatch attack dogs to the scene.

I saw at least three people who were seriously bleeding due to batons to the head, others will, no doubt, be badly bruised today. Earlier in the day, a man in crutches was dragged to a police can, though he was taunting them. Another protester was hospitalised at this time; this was during the car incident and, can I repeat: it was purchased for the event.

Furthermore, in addition to the Gardaí's heavy handedness, many refused to wear their identity numbers on their shoulders (again) which is against the law.

I'd also like to say to Ireland's conservative youth [:p ] that Reclaim the Streets is a radical environmental event that is trying to offer both a healthy alternative our ugly history of explicit political rhetoric by presenting a form of protest that concentrates on issues we all can understand by simply taking part. RTS is about something we're all concerned about: car pollution, traffic congestion, danger on the roads, a lack of safe cycling lanes/conditions and inadequate public transport.

Info on the Gards' last abuse of power I saw is here.

Biffa Bacon

I'm usually on the side of the Gardaí for this sort of thing but it's clear to me that they were totally excessive in this instance. There is a lot of corruption in the force and no one is doing anything about it.

Von

Originally posted by Samson
I don't hold any sympathy for the cause of those demonstrators yesterday.

Their cause was to hold a street party and have some fun with dancing and music and the like. Anybody against fun that isn't corporate sponsored? The event was also a protest against the volume of traffic in the city. And what kind of spa does not think that there's too much traffic in Dublin? Two months ago, my uncle was killed when he was knocked off his bicycle in town by some bollocks in a car. If I was bit sceptical about things like Critical Mass and Reclaim The Streets before (I used to work with an RTS organiser two years ago incidentally, lovely lady) I support what they're doing now.

The guerrilla gardening was funny.

However, having read what I have read, and having seen what I have seen (video footage and photographs), I can say without any qualms whatsoever that in my opinion the Gardai behaved extremely excessively yesterday and urgent action needs to be taken.

The gardai's tactics were either simply incredibly stupid or else they were trying to provoke a violent response from some of the crowd so they could label them all as hippy anarchist hoolithugs as usual.

dahamsta

Aspro said: 1) The gradual erosion of the democratic right to protest by baton-happy riot police throughout Europe.

I think that this kind of thing (in Ireland) stems from incidents like Genoa and Trafalgar Square. The population frowns on it, but politicians and the police seem to find it perfectly acceptable. I get the impression that police forces see and hear about incidents elsewhere and think that it's ok for them to put the boot in when it hits their own territory.

Of course, I don't know what happened, I wasn't there, and I'm well aware that accounts of incidents like this tend to get exaggerated. I'm also aware of the fact that no matter how peaceful a protest is meant to be, there is nearly always a Soccer Hooligan[TM] element in attendance -- there for a fight, and nothing else. This case seems to be pretty straightforward though. I await the Garda's defense with interest. If there is one...

As to SheroN's comments, I find them very unbalanced. People have a right to protest. If I'd known the protest was on I may have attended -- not because I'm lazy and jobless (I'm neither), and not because I object to globalisation, but because I object to what I call "gross capitalism". I don't see that as wrong, at all. In fact, I know it is my /right/, as guaranteed in the Constitution.

adam

mike65

Samson I have seen footage on the news rather chaotic stuff too,
however I'm going to hold final Judgement on the Gardai as a whole as the video was the work of a single individual
who is plainly anti-establishment, he submitted the material to
RTE but what have'nt we seen, what if anything was edited either by Indemedia or RTE? Its not just the material that you need to consider but also its source.

The footage plainly show individual Garda behaving with violence but was it all gratuitous or were there attacks on individual Gards?

Listening to Liveline on RTE you got some very contrasting views.
No doubt it'll come out in the wash (yes, just like the blood!)

Once again though the lack on any independant authority to investigate the Gardai is obvious.


Mike.

dahamsta

The CCTV footage should be released now. If the Gardaí are confident in their officers, they should have no problem with this. If they're not, it's a good time to cut the wheat from the chaff and demonstrate their willingness to be answerable. I hope it doesn't go "missing", like a lot of stuff lately...

Presumably people who were there on the day could do a Mark Thomas on it, with FOIA requests? Indymedia should be up for this.

adam

DeVore

There is a lot wrong with the way the guards behaved it would seem. There is a lot wrong with the Gardai in this country, not all of them mind you but definitely a number. Not wearing numbers and removing video equipment are very concerning issues.
Mind you, live in the city centre like I do for any length of time and you'll see Rodney King style "arrests" eventually.

DeV.

potlatch

Originally posted by EmilianoZapata
The garda that Victor pointed out attacked many peaceful protestors who were even shouting peaceful protest. Many of his colleagues and himself were known to many of the marchers from the Burlington Hotel riots which were also instigated by the Garda Siochana.

He was at the Burlington as well? Was he the guy, by any chance, who hospitalised Thomas Kader?

BuffyBot

Originally posted by DeVore
There is a lot wrong with the way the guards behaved it would seem. There is a lot wrong with the Gardai in this country, not all of them mind you but definitely a number. Not wearing numbers and removing video equipment are very concerning issues.
Mind you, live in the city centre like I do for any length of time and you'll see Rodney King style "arrests" eventually.

DeV.

The fact they had no numbers displayed was worrying - I do wonder was it intentional, or the Gardai just being plain careless. I didn't hear about them seizing video equipment. That is a bit worrying though :eek:

SheroN

what were they supposed to do?...
"i'm sorry mr. could you please get up off the road?...there's some cars that want to pass"

Samson

Originally posted by SheroN
what were they supposed to do?...
"i'm sorry mr. could you please get up off the road?...there's some cars that want to pass"

There is a major difference between forcefully dragging people off the road and what happened on Monday.

I repeat my question posed earlier in this thread:
Did you see the footage on RTE news (mainly six one).

Lemming

Originally posted by SheroN
what were they supposed to do?...
"i'm sorry mr. could you please get up off the road?...there's some cars that want to pass"

SheroN - give me the definition of "use of excessive force" please :rolleyes:

Secondly, as one of the organisers pointed out in the papers today, why, if the situation was so violent and dangerous, were no gardai injured?

In all probability because they acted like the criminals which they are supposed to be against.

seamus

Street Party... Pfft. If you wanna have a party, feck off into the pub or your house. It might have been a bank holiday, but businesses don't all shut. I agree the Gardai used too much force, but plenty of the 'protestors' then make it out far worse than you would think. Lemming, that piece you got in an email for example:

Looking at the police I noticed there were no numbers on their clothing

Yeah, I always check if a guard has his numbers on :rolleyes:. Ok, it's minor, but the whole piece stinks of 'I'm gonna go home now and write a well articulated, well thought-out piece, that will show that we are all well educated citizens and the Gardai are nothing but savage barbarians'.

Yes, the Gardai were too strong on this, and it's exposed the whole 'untouchable' scenario they've enjoyed for years, but that's it. The protestors are attempting to use it as a means of furthering their own ideas, but it's not gonna work.

Aspro said: 1) The gradual erosion of the democratic right to protest by baton-happy riot police throughout Europe.

Police are quick to stamp on anti-globalisation protestors because you have a chequered past. Remember the London riots? The French Riots? In fact there were riots in other places in Europe on Monday werent there? IMHO, if the Gardai had sat back on Monday and done nothing, it would have turned into a riot. Half of the people are just knackers that turn up for a riot, ffs. But yes, the gardai were heavy handed....

Xterminator

I'd just like to post a point.

A few weeks ago people were complaining about the lack of zero tolerance policing in this country. I read articles in the Herald, it was echoed by the opposition, in light of the murder of 2 guards by a stolen car etc.

Now you cant have your cake and eat it.

Yes the guards do seem to have used a certain enthusaism when dealing with the protestors, but when they did nothing to other illegal protests that blocked the city . e.g. taxi men they were critisised for not doing enough.

Now I would wecome Zero tolerance policing, but I understand it will mean big differences in the way the guards work, and I understand you cant reconsile a libertarian approach with zero tolerance policing.

The protestors were behaving illegally, there was an element intent on trouble, and if you are in the middle of a group of people breaking the law, you better accept this can have an adverse effect on your health and freedom.

X

Von

Have a look at the Irish Times poll here. Quite a few sensible contributions and quite a few amusingly stupid headbangers like this person if indeed it is a real person. I suspect it's a prankster.

The police acted correctly. However they should have used a great deal more force in order to make sure that the violent antisocial behavior typical of the street thugs who organized this attack on the rights of law abiding people would not be repeated.

Ireland is one of the most violent and criminal societies in the Western World. Some of you will disagree citing high levels of violence in the US. However most violent crime in the US targets either other criminals or poor people trapped in areas within large cities which are largely under the control of street gangs.

In Ireland you have no large inner cities and almost no organized crime to speak off. Instead you have a culture which tolerates violent behavior by any petty thug who feels like it. As a consequence the average person is far more likely to be a victim.

The whole problem is made worse by your backwards attitude to gun ownership. You will not protect your citizens and deny them the means to protect themselves. You should be grateful that at last your police force have decided to make a stand.

Any person who participates in a violent demonstration regardless whether they carry out violence themselves is a criminal and should be dealt with in the harshest possible terms. Why should ordinary people have to fear using the streets they are paying for with their taxes? Why should thugs have rights to disrupt the lives of honest people? Why should the police be denied the right to use force to make the streets safe?
RMJ, Santa Clara, CA USA

Aspro

I think people should listen to this independent account by an RTE camerawoman to hear the evidence of police brutality.
There is no excuse for police (without I.D. numbers) cracking the heads of young people making legitimate protest.

Real Player needed:

http://www.rte.ie/news/2002/0508/morningireland/morningireland6b.ram

beardedchicken

you just gotta read this!!!!!!
i nearly had an aneurysm when i read it!!!


taken from the Irish Times today

'RECLAIM THE STREETS' RALLY

Sir, - As a hard-working taxpayer, I am sick and tired of protesters who clamour about reclaiming the streets for their own - as if they paid for them! Perhaps if these layabouts actually did a day's work once in a while, they might be too tired to smash up cars, stage sit-down protests or squat in trees outside embassies. I completely resent funding these people via my social welfare contributions.

With the general election looming, I would ask the parties to overhaul our lenient social welfare system - and to implement changes to ensure that these clearly able-bodied but lazy people are unable to piggy-back on the toil of others. - Yours, etc.,

GERARD REYNOLDS,

Knocklyon,

Dublin 16.

[/b]

i can't believe this person has the gall to assume that *all* the protesters are lazy, layabouts, who bum off the taxpayer!
they too are taxpayers, people who work hard for a living! and what happened to the constutution right to freedom of speech, of assembly, and the basic human right not to have your face smashed in!!!! silly man!!

oh, and - "lenient social welfare system" ??? gimme a break!!

SheroN

I actually agree with most of mr reynolds said there.

Samson

Originally posted by SheroN
I actually agree with most of mr reynolds said there.

So do I actually.
I heard one commentator on the radio this morning describe the demonstrators as "middle class 19 year olds with nothing better to do", I thought that was quite apt.

However, that does not excuse the criminal behaviour of the Gardai.
And the worst aspect is that not one member will face charges in my opinion.

Everyone has the right to peaceful protest (whether one agrees with their cause or not).
Those rights were trampled into the ground on Monday.

Gaz

I have to say i agree with most of what he said also

The social welfare system does need an over-haul, There are some genuine people claiming the dole and genuinly looking for work , but there are so many abusing the system that really are just lazy bastards who wont get a job and expect to live off tax payers money ..really pisses me off that !!!

If so many foreign people can get work here (look in any Burger King ... nearly all foreign) then there is no excuse , dont give me that "theres no work" bollo.x

get out and get a fu<ing job !!!

Im not excusing the actions of the Gardai, they where well out of line and hopefully will be punished accordingly

Samson

I think that we are in danger of getting away from the point somewhat with the "tree hugging waster" argument.

I feel we need to concentrate on the abuse of civil liberties that took place.

Karma

After reading your points, knowing some of the people involved, understanding the right of peaceful protest and looking at the footage of what happened. A friend of mine is up in court next week from a previous incident like this( another reclaim the streets party on O'Connell st) he is in court for recording the demonstration which was taken off him when he was arrested(I'm sure he was a danger to all those people around him with his expensive camcorder) when he got his film back 2 weeks later the tapes were vhs copies and it took longer to get the camcorder back. His footage was used in another case to prove the persons innocence of the charges against them.

Under Irish law we are allowed to protest peacefully and these people are innocent until proven guilty. (is this simple enough english for you sheron- the gardi abused there position to set an example)

I belive the roads in this country are a disgrace and the conditions for cycling in dublin are terible. I have taken part in the critial mass but not the reclaim the streets for my own reasons, but no one deserves to be assaulted by the gardi for peaceful protest( which it is until it can be proved otherwise- the gardi can release the footage from the dame st cctv to prove this)

What would make you go out and protest?
what would you do if the gardi batton charged you?
Open your eyes and see, then make your mind up.

Of peoples posts in this thread if find sheron's offensive to what is our rights under LAW in this country. How old are you anyway?
12?
read up on what happened and look at the footage- maybe you might see thru your eyes this time and not some preinformed opinion.

has anybody seen a cop been assaulted in this?
I am not one sided on this but show some proof to your comments (of such " the hippie layabouts desered it")

The issue is the fact that the gardi overreacted to this in a premeditated manner (riot gear, no id)
The gardi are in a bad situation, why don't they show the cctv footage that will show that they were in the right protecting the innocent (not beating a 16 year old girl up at a bus stop)

I would like to see the gardi brought up on charges but lets be honest, is it going to happen?

For your information, I actually wanted to be a garda and applied years ago to no avail. I look at what happened and it is those gardi make me happy that I did not get in (I do not speak Irish) and sad for this to be the face of the gardi in this country.

Do you know anybody suffering at the hands of the gardi (look to the boards drinks night of abuse of power )

AGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHH
cheers
Brian.

EmilianoZapata

Originally posted by potlatch


I also was told by someone who filmed it that the Gards cornered a group of protesters and baton-charged them despite the fact that they were backed up against a wall. Some were cracked over the head.

That is exactly true. There is even a video of the Gardai doing so on http://www.indymedia.ie I got in the middle of it but escaped unharmed. The Gardai had called for all people who did not wish to be hurt to move onto the pathways. Peaceful protestors backed away to where they were asked. A protestor carrying a beer can in her hand refused to hand it over to a Bean Garda after which about 6 male Gardai attacked the woman with batons. When people tried to pull the woman away, about 15 Gardai baton charged the people against the walls where they could not escape. When they eventually stopped, they started telling people to move further down the road and as they were doing so they were still beating people. As I walked I was grabbed by a Garda, hit across the backs of the legs and twice on the back/shoulder area and told to move on.

Also the news has reported that people that people as young as 16 were hit by Gardai. I'm only 14 and I was hit 3 times and I saw people younger than me being beaten with batons.

dahamsta

A protestor carrying a beer can in her hand refused to hand it over to a Bean Garda after which about 6 male Gardai attacked the woman with batons.

Although, if true, the Gardaí's reaction was reprehensible, there has to be balance: the protestor was breaking the law by drinking in a public place. She broke the law again when she refused to comply with an order from the Garda.

adam

Boston

Originally posted by dahamsta
A protestor carrying a beer can in her hand refused to hand it over to a Bean Garda after which about 6 male Gardai attacked the woman with batons.

Although, if true, the Gardaí's reaction was reprehensible, there has to be balance: the protestor was breaking the law by drinking in a public place. She broke the law again when she refused to comply with an order from the Garda.

adam

allways some truth and to say it was reprehensible is abite naive.
what you have here is the start and the end, but nothing inbetween, did the scum bag, new aged hippy, socialist, feminist, animal rights protector, student, left wing, green peace activist say soemthing offencive to the garda, did she get physical, did her mates jump in. we dont know, 4 gardi is a lie right away, more like 2 additional gardi, and the orginal one.

Kappar

I do wonder was it intentional, or the Gardai just being plain careless

"At least one garda is known to have removed his identity number from his shirt, although he had been wearing the number when he left his station."

-Irish Independent

http://www.unison.ie/irish_independent/stories.php3?ca=9&si=747106&issue_id=7357

Kappar

Say something offensive to the Garda

God forbid someone say something offensive to the Garda! While they witness their peers been Brutalized by the garda's Collogues.

Moreover,Even if she did say something offensive to the Garda that does my no means give “a Keeper of the Peace” an excuse to beat someone. If the case were that one could physically hurt someone for saying something offensive, this board would be run from a hospital ward.:D (No offence meant to anyone that uses this board or to the board users collectively)

Boston

Originally posted by Kappar


God forbid someone say something offensive to the Garda! While they witness their peers been Brutalized by the garda's Collogues.

Moreover,Even if she did say something offensive to the Garda that does my no means give “a Keeper of the Peace” an excuse to beat someone. If the case were that one could physically hurt someone for saying something offensive, this board would be run from a hospital ward.:D (No offence meant to anyone that uses this board or to the board users collectively)

Sorry what planet are you on, most of these little thugs are teenagers or students, and its about time most of them got a dose or reality. if you ever saw me,im pretty much a feicing huge bloke, and im very quick to throw a dig if i see one coming my way, and im telling you now i wouldnt say something offencive to a garda, its yes sir and no sir.

I dont get the mentality of "nothing gives you the right" how things "should be" doesnt negate how things are. And anybody that calls a garda a ****er or says he will stab him and doesnt expect a kicking is a moron poor and simple. Im not saying its right just thats the country we live in. Gardi deal with the scum of this country and its not surprising some of it rubs off.,

Kappar

Originally posted by Boston
if you ever saw me,im pretty much a feicing huge bloke, and im very quick to throw a dig if i see one coming my way, and im telling you now i wouldnt say something offencive to a garda, its yes sir and no sir.

Which is a sad state of affairs that “a feicing huge bloke” like yourself should have to kowtow to a Garda if he is not respecting you, of course one should be polite to a Garda if he is nice to you. One should not though resort to hitting a Garda.

I dont get the mentality of "nothing gives you the right" how things "should be" doesnt negate how things are. And anybody that calls a garda a ****er or says he will stab him and doesnt expect a kicking is a moron poor and simple. Im not saying its right just thats the country we live in

What king of country is this?
Dejure the Garda are keepers of the peace
Defacto The Garda Repulse the peace

Gardi deal with the scum of this country and its not surprising some of it rubs off.

Garda also deal with the good of the country and should not allow the scum they have to impose this absorption of bad, to the good and peaceful and maybe assimilate the Good of society.

mocar

does anybody think that it was a lack of training on the guards part that caused this debacle. the guards were obviously terrified but didnt know what to do. Nepotisim has a lot to do with it. that guard was probably a son of a guard and was only chosen to be a guard because of that. they are not chosen on their merits. They are not trained in crowd managment as if they were they would have handled the situation better. well that is my opinion anyway if it is worth anything.

mo