Say It Don’t Spray It.

In Blogby MourreLeave a Comment

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Today’s Broadsheet contains yet another video of alleged Garda pepper spray misconduct. Imagine if they gave them guns?

Today’s video was recorded by an anonymous contributor to the online news blog who reported that the Garda acted purely out of impatience after he woke the man who sleeps rough on Chancery Lane, Temple Bar in Dublin.

A previous video which went viral worldwide showed a Garda pepper spraying a handcuffed, prone homeless man while standing on him. GSOC ruled in favour of that lad, dismissing the complaints as they do with every other video of Garda violence or intimidation.

There is no justice, there is just us. Pepper Spray (OC/CS spray) was introduced in 2009 as a protective measure for Garda members against attack with weapons. According to the Garda Síochána Policy & Procedure document on the use of Incapacitant Spray (“Everyone’s right to life shall be protected by law.”) the main issues for Gardaí are:

  • (a) establishing what is a real and immediate threat (to life); and (b) if such a threat is established, what steps must be taken to seek to avert it?

Each use of pepper spray must be referred to GSOC. Within a year of legislation Garda figures showed spray was being used once a day, complaints were mounting including many reports of children being sprayed.

Pepper Spray is now a first resort and it’s use appears to be without regulation.

 

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