garda racially abuses child on dublin street

by Jon Wilde Fri Aug 02, 2002 16:00 jon.wilde at hush dot com

Here's my story.

My route home takes me walking Northbound up O'Connell Street.

Recently, I was crossing from Pennys to the GPO. A black Mercedes Taxi was parked on the double yellow lines on O'Connell St (not on the side street) and the driver was obviously waiting for someone and reading a paper.

A Garda was leaning against the wall of the GPO directly across from the Merc paying no attention.

As I was about to cross, a car driven by a black gentleman pulled into the side street and stopped.
The drivers wife partially opened the passenger door to get out and then paused to say something to the driver.

At this stage the Garda went over and knocked forcefully on the window and told the driver "You can't park here, can't you see the yellow lines."

The driver responded that he wasn't in fact parking, he was simply pulling off the main road to let his wife out.

The Gardas response was along the lines of "I don't care why you're stopping, you can't park here." The Garda then stuck his head almost into the drivers window and I couldn't hear anything else.

The drivers wife/girlfriend meanwhile got out of the car and went into Pennys looking none too happy.

At this stage the Garda decided he done his job and crossed (jay walked in fact) to the central island of O'Connell St glancing over his shoulder a few times as the driver pulled back onto O'Connell St and drove off.

Meanwhile the white driver of the Merc continued reading his paper.

by Declan Fri Aug 02, 2002 17:22

dear concerned citizin,

your story disgusts. Disgust at the laughing policewomans taunts. Now I understand the predicament you were in but perhaps if you had
approached the garda in question and rescued the kid from his tormentors, well at least distracted them.

I realise that they might just have told you to piss off and getting their badge number and threatening to report them would probably have led nowhere (your word against them - the boy was not gonna speak up...and it may just have made it worse for him, aswell as for you), but I'd like to think the cops should have be answerable. And I'd also like to think they have their backs to the wall with the recent Donegal scandal and their behaviour on Dame st.

Don't wanna be sancitmonious cos I may not have done anything myself in the same situation. Merely opening it up for discussion.

by jd Fri Aug 02, 2002 17:30

if concerned citizen did that - then??? arrest , public order etc

theyll only be clean out of uniform.the templemore ludivico treatment really seems to work.

it would be interesting for an investigative reporter to do an undercover in that place (the school of racism)

by Comrade Jim Fri Aug 02, 2002 18:20

I am Disgusted reading these stories, Not because of the police action but YOURS not taking badge numbers, not even going over to help them.

Public Order offenses would have never went court and If it did the judge would have not found you guilty.

As Irish citizens no in fact a human being it is your responsibility to help a fellow citizen in trouble. Especially if its a Non-Irish person being harassed from ANYBODY.

No let me make a suggestion if you find yourself in that situation again….. Approach the Police office and introduce yourself as a journalist and ask if you can quote them on that take there badge number and tell you are going to ask for a quote from their commanding officer (i.e. ask who there soupier is)

by Des Fri Aug 02, 2002 19:15

I assume from the content of the posting that he/she did not make a formal complaints to the garda complaints board, why not?

What happened to that young child is utterly disgusting.

by ciara Fri Aug 02, 2002 19:46

Due to the recent controversy surrounding the Frank Shortt affair, the garda complaints are being taken far more seriouly. The justice minister is planning a total reform of the gardai, so now is the time to lodge any complaints as they will be heard. Complain to the minister for justice.

by Pete C Sat Aug 03, 2002 01:56

I have also come across an example of police racism.
It happened similarly on one of Dublin's main streets. A Roma woman selling The Big Issues was approach by burly agressive male garda, what I heard was "If I catch you here again without your card (I.D. "papers"), I'll send you back to Romania". I (mistakenly) said that's bollocks, for which the garda decided to charge me under the notorious Public Order act. Mistakenly again I gave a false name.
So I guess confronting the offending officer is the right thing to do but be careful not to disarm yourself with careless 'lawbreaking'.
Needless to mention if you observe the cops behaviour around the city they are often hassling, beggars, the homeless or buskers they don't like, as well as those of us standing up for our rights.

by anony moose Mon Aug 05, 2002 01:23

if I see you here again without your numbers I'll send you back to roscommon

by concerned citizen Mon Aug 05, 2002 17:07

i have made a complaint to the relavant garda authorities.you are very niave to think that two officers and two plains clothes dectives would listen to a complaint on the street from a passerby.

by an other Mon Aug 05, 2002 19:20

what were their numbers ?
it'd be handy to have a list of them and any witnessed harassment by them online....

by babsdebrawl Mon Aug 05, 2002 22:01

last year a Lagan college teacher racially abused a coloured boy in her class, this was witnessed by my son and his mates from the lower ormeau, the Lagan college teacher told the coloured boy go back to where you came from, my son and his lower ormeau mates backed up their coloured friend when he complained about being racially abused by a teacher. It seems the policies and beliefs of QC Basil McIvor and his notorious ex met son Johnathan McIvor who bungled the investigation into the racist murder of stephen lawrence are incorporated into the Lagan college school ethos.