Mayo Sinn Féin councillor Gerry Murray criticised the selling off of national resources to gas and oil exploration companies 20 years ago.
I agree.
He hit out at the Garda for upholding the interests of Shell and the Norwegian government rather than the common good.
I couldn't disagree more.
The gardai must uphold the law, no matter how we feel about the law. Criticise the law not the lawkeepers.
Saturday, February 17, 2007
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7 comments:
What about the Gardaí who break both the law and every decent principle of justice, fairness and peace? It's incorrect to say the Gardaí in Bellanaboy are "keeping" the law; I was pushed and kicked in the most innocuous circumstances last Friday. The provocation and all-round thuggery of the Garda force at the Shell-imposed refinery has been nothing short of a national scandal, and the SF councillor is correct to bring it up.
http://www.gscb.ie/
Send them your story.
The very notion of making a complaint to an unaccountable, closed garda complaints board is nonsensical, Keith. I remember in the very recent past a friend of mine was abused with extreme sexist language by a Guard - when she made the complaint it was "investigated" by a guard from the same station. I would never make a complaint to any board unless it was independent, accountable and fair. Much worse has been inflicted on Mayo residents and other campaigners only for their complaints to be ignored. I won't waste my time.
I have some knowledge of this area and it is always worthwhile in making a complaint.
I too see the need for a NI style police Ombudsman and Pat Rabbitte has committed us to that.
Complaints are never investigated by gardai from the same station. They are done by a superintendent from outside the region.
Saying a complaint is "nonsensical" and not making one when you have just cause is nonsensical.
SF were not condemning individual gardai but the force as a whole. That's not on.
I completely disagree with you on this one Keith.
The problem in Bellanaboy is not with individual Gardaí - although there is a wide spectrum from the very friendly to the vicious thug - but with their systematic deployment, provocative tactics and shameful attitude to local people and those involved in the campaign.
I have met many friendly and helpful Guards over the years. That isn't the point. Institutionally, the force is riddled with corruption, cover-ups and bad practice. We need a complete overhaul of the structures, policies and aims of the Gardaí. An independent complaints body along the lines of O'Loan is a start, and McDowell's proposals are nothing of the sort.
On your last post - I never said the complaint was nonsensical. I just wouldn't waste my time making it.
It is a fact that a Garda from the same station as the subject of the complaint investigated the issue I have described above. I wouldn't want to go into further detail on it on a public blog but I would be glad to inform you of the case privately.
If the protesters are breaking the law in Mayo, then why aren't the gardaí simply arresting them all and injuncting them to stay away fromthe refinery?
To date there have been something like 10 arrests, and no one has been charged with anything.
Yet numurous people have been assaulted, kicked, pushed, shoved, and generally bullied by officers (often with their identifying markers removed from their uniforms).
The whole country has seen on the television where peaceful protesters were flung into ditches and beaten with metal truncheons. If this is a normal Garda tactic why is not used against nurses on their protest marches, or taxi drivers when they blockade central Dublin?
Why are the police using brutal physical force against a peaceful protest? Why are the forces of law and order not bringing the protesters to court and the judicial process? And why is the Labour party defending this schoolyard bullying on behalf of Shell?
I put it to you.
Where are all the complaints about Garda abuses?
If wrong doing is been done complain.
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