IMC IRL Interview with Eoin Rice on Galway arrest and previous arrests

national | crime and justice | news report Sunday January 18, 2004 20:15 by 1 of IMC IRL - Indymedia Ireland

An Interview with Eoin Rice on his dealings with Gardai since March 2003. Conducted by E-Mail.

IMC IRL: You seem to have been arrested and charged with various offences a lot in the last 9 months or so. Could you list your various arrests and give a short comment on each?

EOIN RICE: 1st Mar03 at Shannon, charged Breach of the Peace (real crime - excess use of humour), 4 court appearances, dismissed on 27th Mar03 at Tulla.

24th Mar03 at Dail on Hunger Strike with Caoimhe Butterly, charged BotP + Offensive weapon (real crime - freedom of speech), 4 days on remand in Cloverhill, about 8 appearances, trial set for 26th Apr04 at Richmond Hospital, Dublin. Gardai erased my Dictaphone recording of arrest scene and are under Internal Affairs investigation.

26th June03 at Tulla District Court, arrested along with Tim Hourigan on "No grounds" (quote from Detective Seargent) (real crime - holding different opinion from Judge) dragged into court, accused of "holding a banner outside" by Judge Mangan, then slung into police custody in Tulla Garda Station until end of the day. Banners taken on Judge's order, has since refused on 4 occassions to return them. No charge were brought - pending judicial review of Judge's behaviour.

11th Oct at FF Ard Fheis in Killarney, charged BotP + failure to obey Garda orders (real crime - Freedom of Speech), 2 court hearings, trial set for 18th Feb04, Killarney District Court. Much video + audio evidence will be presented.

17th Nov03 near Nenagh, Co.Tipp, awoken in car at 1:30am by someone in plainclothes claiming to be a Garda, demanding my drivers licence. Very aggressive + unpleasant character (later discovered to be called Gerard Brassil). He pulled car door open as I was getting window down. Refused to ID himself. Got door closed and locked as he noted name. Began Dictaphone recording. Several other men called to scene, one ID'd himself as Bernard Casey. Refused to exit car or open boot. They claimed to be "investigating a spate of burglaries in Killaloe" They sabotaged my car by deflating both front tyres before departing at 2:30am. Audio recording available. Later, in custody on 6th Dec in Shannon, I was given 4 charges following from this incident. All these were summarily dismissed by the Judge in Nenagh District Court on 16th Jan04 as Brassil failed to appear. Will pursue case against all for harassment and sabotage.

5th Dec03 at Ballinasloe, Co.Galway, forced off the road by unmarked car driven by incoherent nutter wearing Garda jumper, refused to ID himself or state what the matter was. Remained locked inside car for 20minutes, recording exchange on Dictaphone. Eventually, after threats to tow car away I got out and was arrested, charged with Dangerous Driving (real crime - listening to car radio?). Held for 5 hours and bailed, dictaphone had been erased. 1 hearing in meantime, at which I was re-arrested, several charges added and trial set for sometime in Feb04.

6th Dec03 at Shannon Airport, after much harassment involving roadside interrogation, car search, tow-truck, locking self in car and being blockaded in the Viewing Area at Aerospace entrance for half the night by plainclothesmen, was awoken at 6am from deep sleep to be told "You are being arrested for dangerous driving!" Car window smashed open when refused to exit vehicle. Taken from car and arrested. Held 13hours at Ennis, charged with Dangerous Driving and Obstructing a Member, taken to Tulla DC for 7pm. Judge had meantime rescheduled for 6pm. Bail hearing forced through despite absence of Lawyer and uproarious protest from defendant + others in court. This saga still running, next date 12th Feb04 in Shannon.

7th Dec03 1:10am in Shannon town centre carpark - after being followed around all night by unmarked cars and having taken several photos of their occupants, who consistently refused to ID themselves, 2 men claiming to be Gardai approached wanting to take my camera. Argument regarding their ID ensued, none was produced and they both attacked me, attempted abduction into a blue car - loud struggle ensued, escaped and locked self in car. Eventual arrest along with Conor Cregan, held for 1 hour in Shannon Garda Station, 'forcibly released' without charge upon demanding attention of a Doctor, who had by telephone recommended an ambulance and X-rays. Conor then released, camera kept, Dictaphone returned, erased, as usual. Seen in 2 hospitals, various X-rays, diagnosis - whiplashed neck, ligaments in arm damaged. Arm in sling for a week of painkillers and anti-inflammatories. At a later court hearing regarding 6th Dec re-arrested and given 4 charges, BotP, Blocking Patrol Car, Obstruction + Failing to avert eyes while conversing with Garda Thugs.

This list is not exhaustive - there are other cases I'm sure I have forgotten. I think I was arrested 10 times in the last 9 months of 2003 and once this year so far.

IMC IRL: Do you believe you are being harrassed by the Gardai?

EOIN RICE: No! No! But seriously, officers up to the rank of Superintendant have told me quite candidly in 2003 that I will be arrested until such times as I learn to be "careful about what you say". I have replied that I will say what I feel like saying, come hell or high water. Apparently, they have decided to play hardball(s).

IMC IRL: If you do - why do they think they are picking on you?

The system is struggling to keep a lid on the voices of dissent generally. Information is Power, we are giving this power to the People, despite the best efforts of the lapdog state and commercial media. Anyone who does this will find their Freedom of speech being assaulted - political sanction of abuses is provided by politicos with vested interests, police are given a free hand to intimidate, bully and stitch-up those who will not desist from dissent, and both rely on the collusion of a politicised judiciary to cover for it all. I am a (sometimes) vocal opponent of this system's Warmongering and Crimes against the poor, who encourages thought and organised resistance to Imperialism and Racism - the two central hallmarks of the US-EU-NATO regime we are living under - therefore a target.

IMC IRL: Have you made an official complaint about all this?

EOIN RICE: Copious quantities thereof, yes, but this is simply 'for the record', not in any expectation that this will lead to any lessening of such abuses.

IMC IRL: Do you think any of this will be investigated?

EOIN RICE: One or two cases are under investigation, yes - how far they or I get remains to be seen.

IMC IRL: Is this the first time you have complained officially about being assaulted by the Gardai?

EOIN RICE: Apart from 7th Dec03, yes. Both occassions involved serious bodily harm, trips to hospital, etc.

IMC IRL: How many Gardai witnessed the alleged assault in Galway?

EOIN RICE: 5 men in plainclothes participated in it while at least a dozen uniformed collegues stood in a circle viewing the spectacle. None tried, even by a word, to restrain the frenzied 5.

IMC IRL: Please describe your injuries in detail?

Rear of head split open against concrete wall (glued), right wrist injured anew (bandaged up), abrasions and marks on both wrists from being dragged by cuffs behind back, legs adorned with weals from a telescopic metal baton with weighted ball on the end (fotos), neck extremely stiff from being stood on for 2 minutes. Ego intact.

ENDS __________________________