“From ⁦@ThePhoenixMag ⁩. Drew Harris may say Gardai are investigating extremists here yet they have been allowed a certain freedom to thrive under “light-touch policing” where Gardai seem to be friendly with them & ignore their fundraising which they seem to be doing openly.”

8 comments

1. Ah, so while it might appear that they’re doing absolutely fucking nothing about it, they’re ACTUALLY secretly working hard.

2. I worry the reality is, the light touch isn’t specific to extremists. I’m thinking of all the “Joe had 200 convictions” that we constantly hear of.

   For one reason or another, the Gardai are generally just pretty ineffective overall.

3. Ye they went ballistic and got shit. Now trying de escalating and…… the funding issue, our senators were actively campaigning to allow foreign donations.

4. There seems to be a connection between these far right loons and loyalists alright. The appointment of Drew always seemed mental to me as well.

5. *”Anonymous donor”*

   I wonder how many of them are high up in Irish society. That would have an interest in deflecting anger away from their own social group.

6. I remember the Phoenix having a rant about the gardai confiscating a load of cash from RSF at one of their gatherings, funny how they’ve changed their tone

   Having been at a number of my local protests, I can confirm that the Gardai were very chatty with far right extremists, aka local mammys with buggies.

   This hack referred to an organised attack on that NP meeting as a “fracas” when it was clearly a planned attack on their conference which left one of their members with serious injuries and for a which a far left extremist has been charged with attempted GBH and possesion of a hammer

   As always, Irish journalists are absolute dirt.

7. While I don’t agree with the anti immigrant lunatics, I don’t really know what you expected the gardai to do. They have a right to protest just like you and me, you can’t just arrest people for picketing.

   Banning protests is a rabbit hole we don’t want to go down, so as a result we have to put up with the headcases doing it from time to time.

8. Where’s the evidence of the claim? The article says footage showed Gardaí talking to protesters.

   Is that somehow not allowed?

   Does that mean the next time a bunch of aul wans are protesting on Kildare Street the Gardaí need to take batons to them?