The Guardian Angels of Irish Cities

Judgement Day · 15-04-2014 08:44PM

I had a sense of déjà vu about this thread and somewhere in my memory was this http://debates.oireachtas.ie/dail/1989/04/20/00015.asp from way, way back in 1989 when the 'Guardian Angels' were supposed to be setting up in Dublin. I'm not a big fan of vigilantes - not of the Charles Bronson variety anyway - I prefer Dirty Harry's approach myself.

darkpagandeath · 15-04-2014 08:46PM

Judgement Day wrote: »

I had a sense of déjà vu about this thread and somewhere in my memory was this http://debates.oireachtas.ie/dail/1989/04/20/00015.asp from way, way back in 1989 when the 'Guardian Angels' were supposed to be setting up in Dublin. I'm not a big fan of vigilantes - not of the Charles Bronson variety anyway - I prefer Dirty Harry's approach myself.

Or more Guardi like Sledge Hammer

Red Pepper · 15-04-2014 08:55PM

darkpagandeath wrote: »

I linked that already...

You wanna fight!?

steddyeddy · 15-04-2014 08:55PM

BazPM wrote: »

I know it's a popular topic on boards.ie at the moment but I am becoming concerned about just how bad Dublin is getting. I'm seeing a lot of violence, intimidation and lawlessness and it's becoming extraordinarily common. I know in New York in the 90s there was a group called the guardian angels who would travel in big groups around the city to make citizens arrests and I'm just wondering if people think it's a feesible idea for here? I know it's dangerous but at the same time I can't sit back and continue to watch what is becoming of Dublin

Compared to other European cities Dublin is relatively safe.

Red Pepper · 15-04-2014 08:56PM

Judgement Day wrote: »

I'm not a big fan of vigilantes - not of the Charles Bronson variety anyway - I prefer Dirty Harry's approach myself.

He was a cop.

Red Pepper · 15-04-2014 08:58PM

darkpagandeath wrote: »

Or more Guardi like Sledge Hammer

dj jarvis · 15-04-2014 09:20PM

Red Pepper wrote: »

http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/capitals-murder-rate-one-of-the-highest-in-europe-26548631.html

In the space of a decade, Dublin has gone from having one of the lowest homicide rates of any European capital city to having possibly the highest, and certainly the highest for gang related murders.

Murder ???

we are talking about street crime , not gangland killings
street crime is down - no one mentioned murder but you.

biko · 15-04-2014 09:20PM

A wall around the pale and a gate at M4.
Sorted.
The rest of us can live in peace.

The Diabolical Monocle · 15-04-2014 09:22PM

What would better help would be if the 'respectable class' drug users stopped putting kilos up their pointey noses and so stop funding the guys who are taking out the hits.

Shame on them.

snoooooooooorrrrrrrrt

bump ?

DildoFaggins · 16-04-2014 02:03AM

It's not like Somalia or Libya were locals are throwing stones at cars and hacking people to death in public but it's still a huge problem.

When I lived in Holland I often visited Belguim,Luxembourg and Denmark and it was never like this police force dealt with little scummers and addicts abruptly it was more the gangs that were a problem but it's not as bad as the 80s early 90s.

If you think about it Ireland for a first world country is way behind everyone else in terms of safety and tolerating with these idiots.

Bipolar Joe · 16-04-2014 05:02AM

dj jarvis wrote: »

but its not , it gotten safer in the last 10 years , less street crime ( other than the spike in the last 2 years becasue of Iphone snatching )

So, it's safe apart from when it's not safe? Jaysus, you're good. Are you a professional statistician, or is it more of a well-read hobbyist situation?

Archeron · 16-04-2014 08:00AM

Zed Bank wrote: »

Nah, I think I'll dress up in tights and go around fighting crime.

Yes....this is why I'm wearing tights....honestly... Fighting crime and stuff...

eamonnq · 16-04-2014 08:28AM

BazPM wrote: »

I know in New York in the 90s there was a group called the guardian angels who would travel in big groups around the city to make citizens arrests

I never seen their ass walking through South Central.

Eight Ball · 16-04-2014 08:31AM

artanevilla wrote: »

All right, I'll be Cue Ball. Barney can be Eight Ball, Lenny will be Twelve Ball, and Moe, you'll be Cue Ball.

Barney can feck off.

Pinch Flat · 16-04-2014 08:37AM

DildoFaggins wrote: »

When I lived in Holland I often visited Belguim,Luxembourg and Denmark and it was never like this police force dealt with little scummers and addicts abruptly it was more the gangs that were a problem but it's not as bad as the 80s early 90s.

Lived in Germany and to see the local polizei in action was pretty impressive. Fare evading on a tram? No problem there'll be a couple of police men armed with guns and dogs, boot open ready on the Audi to deal with you back at the station.

Other European countries, most if which are much more civil than our own on a day to day basis, with much lower levels of drunkeness, anti-social behaviour and general scumbagness than we have here have their own paramilitary police force that take absolutely no sh!t. I think we need to be going along these lines here - the legal system and the police system is broken and there's no will to stamp it out.

dj jarvis · 16-04-2014 08:43AM

Bipolar Joe wrote: »

So, it's safe apart from when it's not safe? Jaysus, you're good. Are you a professional statistician, or is it more of a well-read hobbyist situation?

dont be a smart arse , there are different types of crime , lower level street crime , of the kind the OP was talking about , and then there is murder , which another poster shoe horned into the debate .

the type of crime that the OP is shaking in his boots about is falling and has been for the last 10 years - but feel free to ignore the fact to try make some point or other :rolleyes:

RossFixxxed · 16-04-2014 08:50AM

What has bothered me is hearing the Gardaí putting two dealers in the back of their car saying "this is the second time I've arrested you today." What is the point in that? They do their job, haul them in and then they're out in a couple of hours. It's got to be demoralizing for the Gardaí, it seems pointless to all of us and these guys just don't care at all as there's no consequences.

It's not a dangerous hell hole like the OP has put it, but it definitely could do with a little reform. Currently there are plain clothes guys hauling them in off Abbey and O'Connell street in Dublin which is nice to see.

It is also waaay too easy to read the Daily Mail or some crap and then be terrified by absolutely everything!

I would love to see a bunch of us nerds go out on the street to take care of the problem. The first person who gets hauled out to the mountains and shot in the back of the head would put a swift end to the vigilantes I'd imagine.

"Are there any paranoids in the audience tonight? Is there anyone who worries about things? Pathetic. This is for all the weak people in the audience! Is there anyone here who's weak? This is for you, it's called Run Like Hell!"

SuperGrover · 16-04-2014 09:14AM

strobe wrote: »

Jittery, palpitating pansies...

Hahaha. Perfect.

end of the road · 16-04-2014 01:51PM

Pinch Flat wrote: »

Lived in Germany and to see the local polizei in action was pretty impressive. Fare evading on a tram? No problem there'll be a couple of police men armed with guns and dogs, boot open ready on the Audi to deal with you back at the station.

Other European countries, most if which are much more civil than our own on a day to day basis, with much lower levels of drunkeness, anti-social behaviour and general scumbagness than we have here have their own paramilitary police force that take absolutely no sh!t. I think we need to be going along these lines here - the legal system and the police system is broken and there's no will to stamp it out.

we don't need such nonsense, we can't afford it anyway we haven't and never will have the money and resources for it, higher sentencing and more ordinary guardai is all we need

zl1whqvjs75cdy · 16-04-2014 01:53PM

end of the road wrote: »

we don't need such nonsense, we can't afford it anyway we haven't and never will have the money and resources for it, higher sentencing and more ordinary guardai is all we need

If we can't afford such nonsense how are we going to afford to keep the scummer population in jail for longer periods of time. That ain't cheap.

ElChe32 · 16-04-2014 01:56PM

A junkie took a swing at me the other day across from Bus Aras, wandered up to me and wanted money for the bus when I told him I had no change on me he wanted to make a phone call I told him I was in a rush to get my bus, he told me to **** off and swung at me. He missed, I laughed and he wandered off. They seem to be multiplying by the day in the city centre, something has to be done.

Collie D · 16-04-2014 01:56PM

donkeyoaty0099 wrote: »

I definitely think Dublin is getting worse. If you were to walk down main street Berlin or Paris or London or other major European cities you wouldn't see scores of junkies passed out and fighting as I witnessed today on the way home.

Have never been to Berlin so can't comment but parts of Paris are swarming with beggars/scammers, especially around the touristy parts. Venture out into the suburbs and some places are like ghettos. London definitely has it's fair share of junkies too...and crackheads (a minor problem in Ireland).

The grass is not always greener. Yes, Dublin is a bit of a dump with a lot of undesirables but Paris and London are definitely not exempt from this problem.

And for sheer numbers of junkies in a western European city...Zurich wins,

SEPT 23 1989 · 16-04-2014 01:58PM

Dublin's walking dead can smell the fear off certain people

AlekSmart · 16-04-2014 02:09PM

ElChe32 wrote: »

A junkie took a swing at me the other day across from Bus Aras, wandered up to me and wanted money for the bus when I told him I had no change on me he wanted to make a phone call I told him I was in a rush to get my bus, he told me to **** off and swung at me. He missed, I laughed and he wandered off. They seem to be multiplying by the day in the city centre, something has to be done.

Kinda points the debate in a certain direction I'd suggest.....;)

Judgement Day · 18-04-2014 08:47AM

AlekSmart wrote: »

Kinda points the debate in a certain direction I'd suggest.....;)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H1TfZBjgG6c

Mr. CooL ICE · 18-04-2014 09:45AM

Do what I do: look like you don't have money

Grayson · 18-04-2014 10:05AM

strobe wrote: »

Jesus a lot of people on boards must be soft little delicate flowers. I've never heard anything as ridiculous in my life as you do in these kinds of threads. Jittery, palpitating pansies recalling in horror the time they saw a fight one Friday night 8 years ago on o connel St, or the permanently soul shattering terror of a couple of incidents of petty street crime witnessed in a major capital city. Recounting their tales like paraplegic 'nam vets in a support group for PTSD sufferers. "They were everywhere maaan, in the trees maaan, Charlie junkies maaan. And then when I shipped home to Mayo, there was no parade... People don't understand what it was like maan. They weren't there the night Big John got pushed a couple of times by that slightly drunk sham in a tracksuit. How do you come home and explain these things to people? I guess you just gotta try and live one day at a time..."

Crime is down and has been going down for years. We live in one of the safest cities, in one of the safest countries, in one of the safest times in history.

Not that there isn't room for improvement but it's hardly like the sack of Rome

Plumpynutt · 18-04-2014 10:31AM

Dublin is grand, granted it is annoying that the board walk is unusable due to the people who hang around there, but realistically I'm never going to want to sit and watch the Liffey anyway.

For those comparing us to other cities, we're in no way worse then anywhere else. In New York there is a hilariously large population of mad people who ride the Subway/walk around Manhattan (and I presume the other boroughs, but I wasn't there), in Barcelona, their main street, the Ramblas, is packed with prostitutes, dealers, and general scumbags (a group of Moroccans tried to steal a friend while we were walking down it one night). In Berlin, come the early hours, the number of zombies walking around is huge, including tourists. In London, I was harassed by a crack head, witnessed an assault on a busy street in Catford, saw a pimp beat one of his girls in broad daylight in Vauxhaul, and saw junkies everywhere.

What I'm saying is that all cities have this problem, Dublin is not unique, and at that, is certainly not the worst. It is to be expected anywhere where there is a large gathering of people. It's all part of city life

Cantremember · 18-04-2014 10:57AM

Davarus Walrus wrote: »

Shít yo getin serious down here in muthafúckin Monkstown. Crack ho's be selling booty on da corner while pipe-wielding thugs be holdin shít up.

Christ this dogging has got out of hand altogether. Holding **** up? What's that about? Disgusting.

The Guardian Angels of Irish Cities

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