From top: 34 Frederick Street North, Dublin last night; Garda Commissioner Drew Harris
This afternoon.
The Irish Council for Civil Liberties has released a statement in regards to the removal of housing activists from 34 Frederick Street North, Dublin 1 last night – which the group says involved “over disproportionate and unaccountable tactics”.
They write:
The Irish Council for Civil Liberties (ICCL) is today demanding answers from An Garda Síochána over the tactics used during an eviction of housing rights activists from a building at North Frederick Street in Dublin’s North Inner City last night.
ICCL is calling for a swift public report from the Garda Commissioner regarding the Gardaí’s decision-making in advance of last night’s operation, and the reasons for and circumstances of the arrests and alleged injuries sustained by protesters.
Liam Herrick, Executive Director of the ICCL said:
ICCL has been highlighting the lack of transparency regarding the Gardaí’s policies and tactics in the areas of protest policing and use of force. We are calling on the Garda Commissioner to provide answers about what decisions were taken in advance of, and during, last night’s operation.
We want to know: what was the legal basis for the Garda operation? Was it on request of the owner? What are the protocols for such requests? Was there engagement with the occupiers in advance of the Garda operation? What consideration was there of the need to use minimal force? What was the basis for the arrests?
Meanwhile…
“What we have seen raises concerns about possible excessive and unnecessary use of force against what appear to be largely peaceful protestors. Whenever the lawful use of force by An Garda Síochána is unavoidable, it must be used with restraint and in proportion to the seriousness of the law enforcement objective.
Gardaí should only facilitate and support the actions of private security personnel where they are lawful and do not involve excessive force. In this regard, it is of concern that the private security personnel reportedly failed to display identity badges, as required under section 30 of the Private Security Services Act.
We urge that these events be investigated as a matter of urgency to ascertain if human rights abuses were committed, and if so, ensure appropriate action.”
Fiona Crowley, Research and Legal Manager for Amnesty International Ireland this afternoon.
Earlier: Second-Hand Import?
How Can You Justify These Actions?
Yesterday: What’s Going On Here?
Someone, somewhere knows where the thugmobile has been stored. God help the thugmeister once it’s found out.
Why, are your thug buddies in Sinn Fein going to realign their knees ?
…the only thugs involved are the private paramilitary force sanctioned by FG and its brit commissioner to forcibly evict peaceful protestors….
are you getting well paid to be such a twit?
forcibly evict peaceful protestors?
They were asked to leave and refused.
They were given a court order to leave, and they refused.
So yes, they needed to be forcibly ejected (or they wouldn’t leave).
… it was a peaceful protest at the govt’s dereliction of duty towards its citizens in providing affordable housing or the environment to actually build housing, like say capital.FG’s minister of justice and its brit commissioner approved the violent and intimidating show and use of force by a landlords own private Policía Federal.Drew also send a few the ‘heavier’ lads around,just to keep an eye on things and provide backup and support if required…….
still a decent distraction for FG from the absolute and total diplomatic fiasco of a cancelled POTUS visit, there’s sure to be a breakthrough any day now in some long forgotten cold case!
…it was an illegal protest.
…that had been peaceful.
It was an illegal protest. Sure. No question. But if the Garda are to get involved, they should be applying he letter of the law to resolve. They did not. They allowed masked and unidentifiable ‘security’ to access the property, violently remove the protestors and protect them while they did so. This was clearly a criminal act and they supported it. This was appalling and if the new boy in the Park wants to hang of to his new gig for a wet Wednesday, he’d better sort this stuff out.
I’m no supporter of illegally occupied properties, but this sort of thing will only make it worse for everyone – absolutely everyone – not better.
+1,000
“This was clearly a criminal act and they supported it”. What exactly was criminal about it?
You are being the twit, they were sanctioned by a court, not a political party.
…the biggest twit and bore on here is you,day in day out,tread after tread it’s Sinn Fein,this/that,your the only commentator that’s managed to make any “connection” here!
Why ?
Do you really have nothing better to do,with clearly your rather pathetic existence,the only excuse is your getting paid,if not then….
Your a useless troll.
so you agree it wasn’t sanctioned by FG, but by the courts, glad we cleared up your fake news, good boy.
the nurse will stop by soon with your meds, hang in there hun….
You must attend the church of the assumption. Eh?
Thugmobile ha.
Knowingly driving an illegal and probably unsafe vehicle into a place where there was crowds of people was downright dangerous. If the guards stopped you or I in similar, the vehicle would be impounded and a prosecution would follow.
Gwan the Gardai! Down with the crusties.
I have a question…..more a wonderment really…that someone might be able to clarify.
Cards Commisioner Harris is wearing medal ribbons in the picture above. Presumably these are medals awarded for his services in the North. What’s the protocol/rules with wearing medals on a uniform that’s not the uniform you were awarded the medals in?
Garda
The Old Boy was wondering about that last week. I’m not sure if there was an answer to it, though.
I agree that it is very odd. I mentioned it when that photo first appeared on Broadsheet last week. There was a letter in the Irish Times this morning from a retired captain of the Irish Army stating that usual protocol is only to wear the decorations awarded by the state the uniform of which one is wearing. I imagine the Garda rulebook has specific rules on how and when decorations may be worn on the uniform.
I actually spent time online trying to find any such Regs last week. I couldn’t find any.
I wouldn’t hire you
I wouldn’t hire YER MA.
and you’d be right not to
is certainly very capable of doing things well – but only things she WANTS to do. i’ve long since stopped asking her to do anything.
That sounds just like me.
This is taking an unsavoury turn, to be honest.
Good luck getting your hands on Garda internal documents. They treat last week’s canteen menu as Top Secret.
Could it be a joint force / Interpol thing?
Callinan sported similar – not as many. https://goo.gl/images/jWj1Ry
Callinan’s medals are Garda issued though – on the left is the Garda Millennium Medal, issued to all members serving in the year 2000. I think the one on the right is a long service medal.
no medals for anything of merit though?
The “British” way of doing things is to wear them on the other side. The Defence Forces do not wear decorations awarded by other nations, not sure about the Gardai.
Thanks everyone. I’m actually not too bothered either way, just genuinely curious.
Those protestors weren’t leaving unless you dragged them out kicking and screaming, which is what had to be done here this morning. If you don’t like that, tough, because that’s the way it is.
HUUUH…Ah that Run DMC track is awesome
Just a thought,was this a bit of poorly conceived optics from the Gardai’ – ie to intimidate and deter would-be protest squatters from future actions?
It was to herald the arrival of yet another FG bully to a position of power.
In fairness, Harris is only using a system he is most familiar with, using the legitimate police force as backup for paramilitary thugs.
Would it not be easier for Commissioner Harris to wear his PSNI issue uniform and leave the
decorations on where they were originally affixed rather than using the Garda Siochana uniform
Has Harris relinquished his British Official Secrets obligations if he has he should be able to
assist in investigations into collusion in the North during his tenure with the Police there.