Dangerous Men Loose in Dublin
national |
rights, freedoms and repression |
news report 
Thursday July 21, 2005 16:07
by anon - Workers Solidarity
Garda Brutality:Business AS Usual
The so-called investigation into the death of Donegal man Richie Barron has turned out to be a cesspool of all that is rotten and corrupt about our police force; harassment, intimidation and attempts to frame the McBrearty family. Their punishment -a transfer to Dublin!
Do you recognise these five names -Martin Anderson, Thomas Rattigan, James McDwyer, Martin Leonard,Patrick McDermott? All of these men were named in the Morris Tribunal report as being responsible for an investigation which was "prejudiced, tendentious and utterly negligent in the highest degree".
Their so-called investigation into the death of Donegal man Richie Barron has turned out to be a cesspool of all that is rotten and corrupt about our police force; harassment, intimidation and attempts to frame the McBrearty family - you'll have read about it elsewhere so there's no need to go in to the details here. Their punishment -a transfer to Dublin! What an insult to the people of both Donegal and Dublin.
What about John McGinley or Joe Shelley -have you heard of them? They were both senior officers criticised in the Morris report who were punished by ...being allowed to retire on full pension! Noel Conroy? He's the current Garda Commissioner who on 10th May in his submission to the Morris Tribunal claimed that the investigation into Richie Barron's death was carried out "in an efficient and thorough manner" (This is the same investigation which Justice Morris called "shocking" and "scandalous").
Furthermore Conroy was head of the cops' "Crime and Security Division "from 1992 to 1994 at a time when, according to the first Morris report "...the direction of Crime and Security was not such as to inspire confidence." You've heard of Michael McDowell? As Attorney General he did his level best to ensure that the Morris Tribunal was never established. As Minister for Justice he totally ignored the recommendations of the first Morris report.
The stench of corruption from the cops is overwhelming and goes right to the very top.
As well as the gross dishonesty and rottenness which has been exposed in Donegal and which everyone now knows about, there are also several other high-profile cases which show that this dishonesty is extremely widespread 14-year-old Brian Rossiter died in garda custody in Clonmel Co Tipperary almost 3 years ago. The response of Garda authorities, Noel Conroy as Garda Commissioner and Michael McDowell as Minister for Justice was reminiscent of the response years earlier to the Donegal situation - a response characterised by delay, denial and cover-up. Only now, grudgingly, is McDowell establishing an inquiry into what happened to Brian Rossiter.
In June of this year,a 20-year-old man from Dublin's inner city, Terence Wheelock, spent over 2 weeks in a coma in the Mater hospital after receiving injuries while in garda custody in Store Street. No explanation of how he received his injuries has yet been given.
In May 2002,cops openly battered participants at a Reclaim the Streets Party on Dublin's Dame Street. When a number of cops were charged as a result, their colleagues rallied around in the manner of the three monkeys -See no Evil, Hear no Evil, Say No Evil.
The constant refrain from garda witnesses at the trials was 'I saw nuthin'.
In September 2000,a constituent of current Environment Minister, Dick Roche complained to him that he had been beaten by gardai, and showed him the bruises to prove it. Roche made a statement in support of his constituent. However the senior garda appointed to investigate the complaint on behalf of the Garda Complaints Board deemed Roche's statement not worthy of inclusion in the relevant file .If senior cops can decide to ignore the statements of politicians, how much more can they decide to ignore complaints and statements made by ordinary working class people.
Indeed,there were 1,232 complaints made to the Garda Siochana Complaints Board in 2004, which represents an increase of nearly 5%on the 2003 figure of 1,175.And,as we all know, many people don't bother making complaints because we are all too well aware that it is usually a waste of time as the cops end up investigating themselves. Garda brutality is all too common and is encountered on a regular basis, especially by working-class youths. Garda corruption is nothing new and even though the Dail has now passed Michael McDowell's Garda Bill, the Gardai will continue to be unaccountable to ordinary people.
Corruption among the cops is not just a case of a 'few rotten apples'. The entire orchard is infected. Ultimately, the Garda Siochana exists to protect the private property and wealth of big business, to uphold the status quo. It might take ages for the cops to respond if your house is burgled but they'll turn up fairly quickly if you put a picket on your workplace or blockade a bin truck. It's because they exist to protect the status quo that they know they can get away with almost anything with the blessing of cal paymasters.
Comments (21 of 21)
Jump To Comment: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21Believe me lads -
Being forced to leave life in Donegal to go and live in Dublin is a punishment. Perhaps not harsh enough, but a punishment none the less.
My question in all this affair is this: Why haven't the commercial implications of the harrassment of the McBreartys and Frank Short been examined by anyone. Both men owned Nightclubs. Who stood to benefit if their nightclubs were shut down by the gardai? Another nightclub owner in Donegal perhaps? A well connected local politician? The depths of corruption in donegal have not yet been fully exposed and probably won't unti some of the main players are dead because of our libel laws in this country.
And whats up with the people of donegal, the worst unemployment rate in the country, the worst gardai and yet at the last election they return 4 Fianna Fail and 1 Independent Fianna Fail out of 6 TDs for the county?
I'm not a member of SF and have never given them a No1 vote before, but in both constituencies they seem to be the party most likely to take out a sitting government TD - time to swallow hard and vote tactically I think.
why dont you put your name to this article or whatever you call it?
What do we know about you - you could be a peodiophile who has a grievance with the police - maybe you got a speeding ticket a year ago and still have a chip on your shoulder cause your from Dub 4 or your a crustie who thinks the law dosent apply to you
What happedned in Donegal was wrong but shit like this on a web site like this shows that any ass with an internet connection can feel important
I looked at this thread cause I thought it might be interesting but its just re hashed shite
Police have to deal 24/7 with shite and wankers and bollocks who want to provoke them to strike out at them so they can sue them and carry on living without having to work and boost their social welfare payments, an by making a complaint they also feel important.
what about victims of crime, elderly people who need protection and help - where are the doo gooders and amnesty for them - no they are there for the scumbags who they love to hear them tell everyone the Garda cursed at me and gave me a shoe up the arse and them the media run with it.
One thing I cannot understand to do with the Donegal thing is how the Morris tribunal can conclude totally that the the late Richie Barron died from a traffic accident - there is no evidence to support this totally and to rule out an assault - and the Barron family have stated this only last week - maybe the tribunal isnt all its cut out to be and seriously flawed
Follow the Money, its at the heart of the donegal story - who's money was under threat - who stood to gain?
"Police have to deal 24/7 with shite and wankers and bollocks who want to provoke them"
Oh yeah, I read about something like that happening in Templemore recently.
there's wankers in every job - the police are recuited from the civilian population and you always run the risk of a percentage of wankers getting in. There isnt a country in the civilised world that dosent have a police force and much as they are lambasted they are essential to keeping order - if anything the police force in this country is far too lenient - if some of the people who act the genit in this country did what they did in other european countries they would get a serious wake up call from the police and they wouldnt have half the rights they have here and they'd have a sore hole at best.
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What exactly is it your advocating Garda officers should have the right to do Tom ?
protect elderly and vunerable people from criminals and wankers who for example go crying to amnesty or indymedia if they get handcuffed after raiding an old mans home after beating the shite out of him and them resisting arrest when caught. what you need is for someone to come into your house and beat the crap out of an elderly member of your family like what was done to an elderly member of my family for £40 and you would then understand why many people support the police and bemoan the fact that their hands are tied and yet they are lambased when crime figures rise - its no wonder the farmer in Mayo did what he did and so many people in this country support him and wish him well - I am so sick of do gooders - be a doo gooder for those who need your help - victims of criminals and anti social behaviour and if a criminal gets a shoe in the hole along the way its minor compared to what most irish people would like to see happen to these scumbags
"from criminals and wankers who for example go crying to amnesty or indymedia if they get handcuffed after raiding an old mans home after beating the shite out of him and them resisting arrest when caught"
Indymedia Example
You tell them lay about crusty stoner scum Tom. A good boot up the hole and dry bread an' water for a forthnight would see them straight. You sound like the man for the job alright, fine fit garda man you would make, patroling our communites and keeping us safe from violent scum and thugs. And sure ya have the cliches down to a bog standard and all without ever having to set foot in Templemore.
Now you can watch the video courtesy of indymedia - although the crappy telecoms infrastructure in the Free State might complicate matters for you if you don't have access to high bandwidth for the download.
If you can manage it, have a look at the video and explain to us why these men are not criminals, a disgrace to the uniform they wear and why they should be immune from prosecution ?
All the evidence you need is there on video.
These men are thugs in uniform acting with with criminal intent to pervert the course of justice. If that's not a crime, then what is ?
OK I know the appropriate answer for modern Ireland:
Protecting your life and property against a multinational corporation in breach of ministerial orders ?
That'll get you locked up good and proper while alleged pedophile judges run around freely and hope for a big pension payoff to go into early retirement.
how many robberies do you have to stop to able to give people a kick up the arse as you put it, is there a formula for that at police hq we're not aware of?
how many good acts does it take to excuse bad ones?
"is there a formula for that at police hq we're not aware of?"
Now, now. They are still trying to work out which coin you put in the machine to get the jelly beans at hq.
With the scandal now coming to light at the Morris Tribunal, to investigate the Gardai in Donegal, I believe that the whole of the Irish Police Force should be brought under investigation.
Too many times we hear of yer man down the road being arrested with a scratch on his head and ending up in A&E with multiple injuries to his whole body. Too many times we hear of another poor fella being arrested on Public Order offenses and then going to his funeral a few days later. "He hung himself in his cell.." they would say at the Inquest.
Round them up I say and get rid of the gurriors!
"What do we know about you - you could be a peodiophile who has a grievance with the police - maybe you got a speeding ticket a year ago and still have a chip on your shoulder cause your from Dub 4 or your a crustie who thinks the law dosent apply to you"
Ahh Tom the last peodiophile I read about was a garda caught trying to solicit underage girls from an undercover garda. Most "crusties" I know would have difficulty getting speeding tickets as the all cycle push bikes.
"Police have to deal 24/7 with shite and wankers and bollocks who want to provoke them to strike out at them so they can sue them and carry on living without having to work and boost their social welfare payments, an by making a complaint they also feel important."
Tom you obviously have never tried to make a complaint about a garda. I have. It went like this.
Me to desk garda "I want to make a complaint about being detained withouth any charge being made against me"
Garda; You can go now.
Me: No I want to complain
Garda: dont waste my time now fuck off.
Me : Im not leaving until you let me register my complaint.
Garda (tearing a peice of paper out of a jotter) here you go
Me; Wheres the complaint form?
Garda; None left (not suprising)
Me: Can I have a pen
Garda: you want to complain and you don't even have your own pen!
Me: are you going to give me one or not?
Garda (throws pen at me)
I then wrote the details of my complaint on the paper and handed it to the Garda
Garda: Thanks (the Garda proceeded to roll up the paper and toss it in the bin)
I walked out
Now Tom, before you get hysterical let me tell you that this was at 12.00 noon. I had been detained supporting an Unemployed Centre with their street collection which had a permit from the Chief Superintendent. The garda who detained me did so because I had only a photocopy of the permit rather than the origional. Go to any working class part of Dublin and you will hear similar stories.
Every now and then stories of Garda lawbreaking reaches the papers. At the moment there is a case where a 14 year old died in questionable circumstances in garda custody. Isn't he a victim of a crime as well?
Remember the addict sticthed up for the murders in the Phoenix Park the list is endless
The problem with our Garda is simply that they police themselves. Until that changes there will be suspicions of cover ups and criminality within their ranks damaging their reputation.
Thanks for the lovely Irish welcome.
Actually, I am from Waterford. A pedophile? I would doubt it. I was raped by one though. Does that make me one too?
I am also the son of a very sick 60-year-old who has been tormented, harrassed and beaten by the so-called cops here.
All I want is to get people's opinions.
Looks like I am not getting it here, only called a pedophile after my first post.
Ignore that Dan. It's just a comment from an anonymous troll who has nothing to do with the site. He could very well be a cop, a paedophile or both.
No problem. I apologise anyways for flying off the handle there. Very angry at the moment.
Thanks.
Was your daddy beaten before or after he attacked the Gardai and their patrol car Dan?
There is supposed to be a distinction between the way garda behave and the way criminals behave. Reasonable force is a legal requirement. So you think the Garda should be above the law? Anyone breaking the law deserves to be held to account for it by following correct procedures. It is a principle which preserves the civilisation of our country. Garda descending to the kind of thuggery described above are as bad, if not worse than, the people they are supposed to be apprehending.
Hi Al,
As it is stated on my message forums, there is a long history between the cops and my father. When my father was being arrested, he had nothing in his hand. He actually walked up to the cops and placed his hands out to be handcuffed.
I approached a cop afterwards and said, "That was un-called-for!" He replied, "He damaged our car".
DF, you are absolutely correct. As I said somewhere already, and I will say again, my issue is not with my father being arrested. Yes, he damaged the windows of the squad and yes, he broke the windows of a nearby house. So, yes. He should be punished.... accordingly!
My issue is with the cops and how the treat detained suspects in general. I am an activist. That's what I do.
I am also aware that my pushiness can get me into serious trouble and I am also aware that I may end up being victimised by some members of the Gardai. But, it is worth the shot to bring these issues to the forefront. It is not only happening in Donegal ya know.
well said dan support the wheelock campaign. they need everyones help
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