Garda response to protests may be seen as ‘inconsistent’- Policing Authority



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The Garda’s response to different sets of people protesting about different issues during the Covid-19 policing operation might be seen as “inconsistent” and “unfair”, the Policing Authority has said. It added it planned to study the issue and report on it in the future.

The Policing Authority did not specifically reference a protest by Debenhams workers and an unrelated protest by supporters of journalists Gemma O’Doherty and John Waters but the Irish Times understands it was referring to those protests.

Debenhams workers were protesting outside the store in Dublin’s north inner city last month after they lost their jobs. Gardaí quickly moved in and dispersed them; breaking up their protest on the basis they had made a non-essential journey to be there.

However, the supporters of Ms O’Doherty and Mr Waters have been able to congregate in numbers without social distancing when the two journalists have appeared in the Four Courts, Dublin, as part of their legal challenge to the legality of the Covid-19 lock -down measures.

‘Inescapable risk’

“There is an inescapable risk that (Garda) engagement in particular instances will be perceived as uneven, inconsistent or even unfair, particularly where circumstances that may be different can appear to the public to be the same,” the Policing Authority said of how different sets of protestors were being managed from a policing perspective.

“While we have observed a level of co-ordination, internal review and reflection, in some of these matters, Garda investigations are ongoing and once further information is received, we will consider and report as appropriate.”

The Policing Authority made its remarks in its latest weekly report about the Garda’s Covid-19 policing operation. It is also tracking and reporting on how often the force was using the new powers conferred on it to respond to those not complying with the public health restrictions in place to combat the spread of the virus.

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