TDs protest at Garda treatment, Taoiseach did not understand ‘necessity for any strip-searching’
A group called Mothers Against Genocide held an overnight protest on Sunday night outside Leinster House to mark mothers’ day and to remember the mothers and children killed in Gaza.
A number of women who protested outside Leinster House were arrested, strip searched and one was subjected to a cavity search, the Dáil has heard.
People Before Profit leader Richard Boyd Barrett raised the issue on Tuesday, saying the group was showing solidarity with the women and children of Palestine and Lebanon but were “arrested violently and strip-searched”.
The group, called Mothers Against Genocide, held an overnight protest on Sunday night outside Leinster House to mark mothers’ day and to remember the mothers and children killed in Gaza.
Mr Boyd Barrett cited comments from one woman. He quoted: “I was stripped completely naked and asked to remove my underwear.
“They looked inside my private area and touched all my sensitive parts.”
Mr Boyd Barrett said it was “absolutely disgusting”. He asked Taoiseach Micheál Martin if he condoned that kind of treatment “of people who were a threat to nobody”.
[ Mothers arrested during Gaza protest after Leinster House entrance blockedOpens in new window ]
His party colleague Paul Murphy said 14 people were arrested and the woman Mr Boyd Barrett spoke about is Palestinian.
He said she was “forced to remove her underwear, her private parts were touched and looked inside” and she was subjected to a “cavity search”.
“Her hajib was confiscated to check if it was allowed before it was being returned to her.”
He added that she said after the procedures were completed: “I was released with a warning that if I participated [in] any further events, I would be punished and that this was my only chance.”
The Dublin South-West TD asked: “What sort of repressive State are we operating in?”
He said the women were protesting in support of the Occupied Territories Bill, which the Government had promised during the election campaign would be passed. He added that they were protesting to stop weapons going through Irish airspace “which is continuing and increasing”.
Solidarity TD Ruth Coppinger said some of the women were strip-searched. She too alleged one was subjected to a cavity search and said “these are deemed sexual violence actions by Amnesty International”.
The Taoiseach said he had no issue with people protesting but the demonstrators blocked the entrance to Leinster House when they could have protested at either side of the entrance.
Mr Martin said the protesters were given a directive to move and given time to do so but they did not. He said 11 were arrested under public-order legislation and three were arrested for alleged offences.
“I will follow up with the Minister for Justice over the assertions and allegations in relation to strip searches. I have no information as to that but I will follow up on it because I do not understand the necessity for any strip-searching or whatever.”
Earlier, Sinn Féin justice spokesman Matt Carthy described the approach to the peace protest as “unnecessarily heavy-handed”.
Mr Carthy said in a statement that “while the security at the Dáil is important, the response of An Garda Síochána to a peaceful protest should be proportionate.
“Mothers Against Genocide have made serious complaints about their treatment in custody. These complaints need to be fully investigated,” he said.
This is absolutely appalling, the kind of stuff you see coming out of the US. every single guard involved in this should be held accountable. It is insane to have treated a group of mothers protesting the mass murder of other mothers and children like this. These are the same police force that were literally escorting far right homophobes into the library in Swords to harass librarians in 2024. There is something very rotten in the Gardaí and it’s time they were made face consequences.
Funny that speech and demonstration is seen as more of a threat than robbing, raping and beating. Cool beans.
What in the Beavis and Butthead is this?
Don’t forget if you are a far right, neo-Nazi, misogynist, and homophobe these same Gardaí will escort you into a library to harass workers, families, and children.
Most people who are arrested are stripped to underwear for a search once they get to their cell. An internal search should only be performed by a medical professional and there has to be cause so if it did happen as PBP claim, GSOC will likely take up this investigation pretty soon.
What the actual fuck…. if this legit happened those gardaí need to be put in prison for that. That shouldn’t just be a fireable offence, they need to be locked away with all the other sex pests
I’m sorry, I don’t believe this. If it’s true, it needs investigation. But,….is it?
Hopefully the day will come when those Gardai find themselves put in the same position as those ladies
I’m not buying this, and sorry if it turns out I’m wrong but this seemed to have escalated out of all proportions on both sides.
“demonstrators blocked the entrance to Leinster House ”
Imagine…blocking an entrance way…..oh the horror…..the humanity……won’t someone think of the children!!!!
The absolute monsters. How fucking depraved can these protesters get. Lock them all up and throw away the keys. Animals. FFS.
11 comments
From the article:
TDs protest at Garda treatment, Taoiseach did not understand ‘necessity for any strip-searching’
A group called Mothers Against Genocide held an overnight protest on Sunday night outside Leinster House to mark mothers’ day and to remember the mothers and children killed in Gaza.
A number of women who protested outside Leinster House were arrested, strip searched and one was subjected to a cavity search, the Dáil has heard.
People Before Profit leader Richard Boyd Barrett raised the issue on Tuesday, saying the group was showing solidarity with the women and children of Palestine and Lebanon but were “arrested violently and strip-searched”.
The group, called Mothers Against Genocide, held an overnight protest on Sunday night outside Leinster House to mark mothers’ day and to remember the mothers and children killed in Gaza.
Mr Boyd Barrett cited comments from one woman. He quoted: “I was stripped completely naked and asked to remove my underwear.
“They looked inside my private area and touched all my sensitive parts.”
Mr Boyd Barrett said it was “absolutely disgusting”. He asked Taoiseach Micheál Martin if he condoned that kind of treatment “of people who were a threat to nobody”.
[ Mothers arrested during Gaza protest after Leinster House entrance blockedOpens in new window ]
His party colleague Paul Murphy said 14 people were arrested and the woman Mr Boyd Barrett spoke about is Palestinian.
He said she was “forced to remove her underwear, her private parts were touched and looked inside” and she was subjected to a “cavity search”.
“Her hajib was confiscated to check if it was allowed before it was being returned to her.”
He added that she said after the procedures were completed: “I was released with a warning that if I participated [in] any further events, I would be punished and that this was my only chance.”
The Dublin South-West TD asked: “What sort of repressive State are we operating in?”
He said the women were protesting in support of the Occupied Territories Bill, which the Government had promised during the election campaign would be passed. He added that they were protesting to stop weapons going through Irish airspace “which is continuing and increasing”.
Solidarity TD Ruth Coppinger said some of the women were strip-searched. She too alleged one was subjected to a cavity search and said “these are deemed sexual violence actions by Amnesty International”.
The Taoiseach said he had no issue with people protesting but the demonstrators blocked the entrance to Leinster House when they could have protested at either side of the entrance.
Mr Martin said the protesters were given a directive to move and given time to do so but they did not. He said 11 were arrested under public-order legislation and three were arrested for alleged offences.
“I will follow up with the Minister for Justice over the assertions and allegations in relation to strip searches. I have no information as to that but I will follow up on it because I do not understand the necessity for any strip-searching or whatever.”
Earlier, Sinn Féin justice spokesman Matt Carthy described the approach to the peace protest as “unnecessarily heavy-handed”.
Mr Carthy said in a statement that “while the security at the Dáil is important, the response of An Garda Síochána to a peaceful protest should be proportionate.
“Mothers Against Genocide have made serious complaints about their treatment in custody. These complaints need to be fully investigated,” he said.
This is absolutely appalling, the kind of stuff you see coming out of the US. every single guard involved in this should be held accountable. It is insane to have treated a group of mothers protesting the mass murder of other mothers and children like this. These are the same police force that were literally escorting far right homophobes into the library in Swords to harass librarians in 2024. There is something very rotten in the Gardaí and it’s time they were made face consequences.
Funny that speech and demonstration is seen as more of a threat than robbing, raping and beating. Cool beans.
What in the Beavis and Butthead is this?
Don’t forget if you are a far right, neo-Nazi, misogynist, and homophobe these same Gardaí will escort you into a library to harass workers, families, and children.
Most people who are arrested are stripped to underwear for a search once they get to their cell. An internal search should only be performed by a medical professional and there has to be cause so if it did happen as PBP claim, GSOC will likely take up this investigation pretty soon.
What the actual fuck…. if this legit happened those gardaí need to be put in prison for that. That shouldn’t just be a fireable offence, they need to be locked away with all the other sex pests
I’m sorry, I don’t believe this. If it’s true, it needs investigation. But,….is it?
Hopefully the day will come when those Gardai find themselves put in the same position as those ladies
I’m not buying this, and sorry if it turns out I’m wrong but this seemed to have escalated out of all proportions on both sides.
“demonstrators blocked the entrance to Leinster House ”
Imagine…blocking an entrance way…..oh the horror…..the humanity……won’t someone think of the children!!!!
The absolute monsters. How fucking depraved can these protesters get. Lock them all up and throw away the keys. Animals. FFS.
Comments are closed.