Irish political parties spent over €416k on election posters last year

Ryan where did you get those stats from are they freely available??

CSO

Lets not be TOO generous either now…it’s more than 1-2 bad apples, it’s a sizable chunk of the force. Security, Military, Police, Politics all jobs with power attract a certain element of people who are in it for the power and no more noble a reason.
They take advantage of wide ranging powers in the likes of the Misuse of Drugs Act or Public Order Act to abuse their power, and there is a code of the school yard thing where the other cops around them are not reigning them in, but they should. They don’t have to do it in front of the citizen but even alone in the patrol car they should say something to them. It does the rest of you no good to have this crowd giving you a bad reputation. One bad incident alone can poison someones mind against you, esp if they’re young, for the rest of their lives. You gotta remember when you are dealing with someone on the street you are dealing with a future or present voter you may even be dealing with a future cabinet minister in that kid you stop as he walks down the road. You want him as an ally in years to come not an enemy.

Idiot.

..any auld c@nt can put in a complaint, from some nasty hag upset over a speeding ticket to some j@nkie caught shoplifting.. I wouldn’t be to concerned with the small number above..

That could be true Royston but also it could be cases like the woman who was arrested in bray for peaceful protest against the water charges who was pulled to the ground with a knee in her back by two male Garda who refused to quote under what section she was being arrested under. She was handcuffed and led off to the station, where she was released 5mins after she got there with no charge. I know she issued a complaint there is a very vivid video of this on you-tube. I believe there was also a fairly good case for sexual assault against one of the garda captured on video.

Martin she was most likey arrested under Public Order. Just because she was arrested doesn’t necessarly mean she is going to get charged. Once back at the station the Gardai may have considered her calmed down and reasonable enough to release her.

Is peaceful protest to be considered a Public Order offence now Mick ? If calming her down was the goal surely trained officers could have done that in the street. I believe she was very calm until the Garda decided to arrest her, and of course it was under Public order that she was arrested but they have to inform her of that prior to her arrest but failed to do so.

Martin can we have the link to the video so we can judge for ourselves what her demeanour during the protest.

Ok Mick it will just take a few mins to dig it up. Back in a sec..

There’s a very edited video on YouTube of the incident. I wonder if the complainant will be furnishing the full footage, including the device it was recorded on, to GSOC.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ksCMyfASsNE

There you go Mick !!

The video was shared over 7,000 times meaning over 600,000 people saw it, its one of the reasons there is a huge increase in support for the Anti Water Campaign all over the country.

@ Royston I hope that you are not a serving member of the gardi like lots on this thread with that attitude towards the public.

Sandbag seem a very unedited video to me, do you not agree??

Martin where is the video preceeding her arrest? What where actions leading up to it. All I see is someone resisting arrest and being abusive. Even in the video someone can be heard saying she is damaging someone’s car.
So quite honestly Martin this video shows us nothing but an angry woman resisting arrest. It doesn’t show us why the Gardai intervened to arrest her in the first place. So this video does nothing to advance your argument.

just watched the video the public order offence took place when garda got involved she was in her own neighbourhood at her own car. my judgement to heavy handed when asked numerous times what she was getting arrested for no reply. also one man asked for the guards numbers and was ignored. you are quite within your rights to have both questions answered on request. this only shows me the guards have no respect for the people they work for.

Nothing shows her actions prior to her arrest. Just shows from when the arrest happened, no reason why, as the video is edited. Inconclusive at best. And in terms of force, the appropriate amount for resisting arrest appears to have been used. No baton strikes, peppar spray, minimum force

Is that you Boylan how’s the new lorry going

You know what I love…science…facts…math…they cut through all the prejudice, assumptions, propaganda and lies and just give you REALITY.

In 2013 GSOC 18 Garda officers were prosecuted by the DPP

Now if you’re intellectually honest, you will be happy to be mistaken..

Mick watch it again without the Garda perspective, she doesn’t shout or get angry until the Gardai start to arrest her. The car is her neighbours and they are talking about the Garda damaging it by pushing her up against it. You have said that she was probably arrested under the Public order act, then why are the Gardaí not informing her of that. They get plenty of reminders from her. If you dismiss this as easy as that, it makes me worry about the force and your attitude to the public. There are going to be a huge and I mean huge amount of peaceful protest in the coming weeks and months and we the non criminal citizens with zero records or charge sheets to our name will be on the streets protesting Irish Water. And we will be relying on the men and women wearing our Garda uniform to protect our right to do so.

Finally why are the Gardaí taking photos of innocent peaceful protesters who have no history of ever breaking the law in their entre lives.? Surely not for creating political dossiers I’m mean that’s not the job of the Police in a Republic , maybe in China or Russia but not in Ireland. Its time our Garda questioned the motives of the people at the top and decide if they are on the side of law and order or on the side of the corporates come hell or high water.

You are our Garda our family members our friends not their thugs.

Again Martin what was the reason that the Gardai arrested her for in the first place?
They just didn’t arrive and go “eny meny miny mo we will arrest that one”. She must have been acting in a manner that gave rise to her arrest.
Was she obstructing the meter fitters? Was she causing a public nusence? The video shows us nothing nothing prior to the Gardai intervening.
And the Gardai followed procedure in a dealing with someone resisting arrest. There was no excessive force used. She was restrained and cuffed using the minimum force necessary.
As for the Gardai answering the man about their numbers as we can see from the video they were otherwise occupied. And their numbers are visible on their shoulders.

Where is the full video. The video is purely propaganda, look at how the poor thing is being arrested. We have no idea what she has done. And you can clearly here the Garda saying to her she has been told why she is being arrested. There is no obligation on the Gardaí to constantly tell her why she is being arrested, especially when she is resisting arrest.

Martin, how do you know that all the protestors have no history of breaking the law?

Mick you tell me why she was arrested?? what crimes do you see her committing. What do you mean was she obstructing the meter fitters she has a right to be on that footpath the same as they do. These protestors are not covered by Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy injunction so they had a right to stand where they wanted. I have no problems with the numbers on their shoulders I never mentioned it.

“There was no excessive force used. She was restrained and cuffed using the minimum force necessary.”

Since when is the norm under minum force for a male Garda to grab a woman’s boob and leave your hand there. She was already handcuffed when that occurred.

@John I’m not interested in talking with Irish Water employees ..Cheers!

Ah Martin, back with the failed insults…

Mick, I don’t think Martin can provide the original video of the full events of the arrest… I can only assume that is because it would not help their cause…

Martin. As I wasn’t there to see why she was arrested I am unable to answer your question.
But it was you that raised this video to support your argument but yet you are unable to tell us what caused the Gardai to arrest her in the first place.
You would have us believe that the video just began as she was being arrested!! I and most others on here are not that gullible to believe that is the case. I am sure that if the complete video were to be shown it would put an entirely different spin on the story. And I am sure you know that yourself. But because it is not a narrative that arguments your argument you choose to disregard it.

Mick I can only comment on what can be seen in the video also which your admitting by saying that you think there is a longer version that the longer version would vindicate the Garda suggesting you think they have questions to answer for what can be seen. I agree with you what can be seen here suggests the lady (Sharon Briggs) was unlawfully arrested and without a doubt man handled if not actually sexually assaulted .If a longer version does exist I would love to see it , I have contacted the lady herself via Facebook to get answers and am waiting for her to get back to me. Maybe she will come on here and explain to all the Garda on here what actually happen that’s if shes allowed to given that legal proceedings are taking place.

Sandbag, valid questions…

I don’t see an unlawful arrest in the video, I do however see a woman resisting arrest…

Martin would you care to point out where I said or even implied that she was illegally arrested?
As I have repeatedly asked you what did she do to cause the Gardai to arrest her. As of yet you nor anyone else has answered that question and neither does the video you have produced answer that question. And as you have admitted you were not there either so you are attempting to base your argument on a video that appears to have been edited to suit a certain narrative. .
As for the so called “Sexual Assault” You will notice that the Officers arm was caught between the suspects own arm and torso due to her struggling with the Gardai.

And as for her version do you not think that she is gong to try and tell us that she was just standing minding her own business and the Gardai arrested her for absolutely no reason.

Good points Mick.. The video only show the part of the story that its maker wanted us to see…

And Martin as this is a quote by you from your own FB page. I will give people a perspective as to your way of thinking.
“We need to set up a counter security group to deal with the thugs and criminals that will be hired by our corporate state.”
So you want to set up an a group to resist the legally employed and licensed security officers that are there to protect water fitters from harassment in doing their jobs.

Mick, not too long ago Martin compared himself to Abe Lincoln, so I can only assume from that and you post, Martin want to start a civil war… be because there isn’t any slaves for him to save…

But Mike, she was there and could produce other videos of the event or know if they exist Irish water guys have mobile phones. They are always filming protesters where is their videos surely they would have released a video that showed the beginning of the arrest if showed her being abusive to the Gardai or similar carry on. Irish water have employed a group called GuardEx Limited which had been engaged to survey and film all the protests and to identify the primary protesters. They were present where is their videos that vindicate the Gardaí.

I know Garda on here are standing up for their colleagues but a some stage, the action of the Gardaí toward peaceful protesters needs to be looked at. People who would have never questioned the Garda are now scrutinising their actions daily and losing trust in a body we all grew up trusting we could turn to when we were wronged. Its no longer the case for growing percentage of the population. Particularly when like the church you circle the wagons to protect your own when they have done wrong.

Did she not damage a car with a barrier Martin? Plus she resisted so are the Garda supposed to give her a hug?

Back to sitting on your yellow helmet John boy until your moved on to the next estate that refuses to buy what you peddling.

Ah Gerard, she wouldn’t have damaged the car if the barrier wasn’t there…

It was her friends/neighbour’s car Gerard the owner can be heard stating that in support.. So hardly an issue.

It’s an issue if the car was damaged, if sure you’d be annoyed if it was your car. One sided video if ever I’ve seen one.

Again Martin her version would not be neutral. The FULL video footage of what lead up to her arrest would. But the person that posted the video did so to push a particular narrative and not to show the full truth of what happened.

The car owner even said the car was damaged on the video and she would be looking for compensation…

Neither me or you know if the video was edited it suits your thesis to assume it was edited, by edited I presume you mean the beginning was cut out. If it was and she was abusive or aggressive I would agree that Gardaí did nothing wrong. I would like to see the videos of the Irish Water workers and GaurdEx made you have to admit if one existed that vindicated the Garda it would already be doing the rounds. So the evidence is on her side as it stands. An the complaint stands until one shows up.

Geard given it was the Gardai pushing the woman up against her friends car, I think if she was claiming damage it would be against the Garda and not her friend. If you think differently I would advise you to get new friends.

Martin. It is painfully obvious the video has been edited. All you have to do is look at the poster “Dublin says no”. A water protester to see what narrative attempting to be pushed
It reminds me of the anti globalisation protests in Seattle a few years ago. The protesters posted a video of Police arresting seemingly peaceful protesters. That was until the Police posted their own video showing the full facts. Where it had shown those same “peaceful protesters pulling a bicycle cop off his bike and attacking him. Both videos when show were taken at the same time but from different angles but the protesters video was shown to be missing the first 5 mins when posted.

Mick to be fair you make a lot of sense most of the time, but speaking as someone with a background in media commutations its painfully obvious to me and anyone used to video editing that this video runs smoothly uninterrupted by jumps or light changes from beginning to end. It is only possible that beginning was cut but after that there was absolutely no editing whatsoever.

If the beginning was cut…. that was editing…

Thanks for agreeing with against Micks argument that’s what I said the only possibly place it could be, if there was one that is, otherwise it untouched.

Martin if you know about editing then you will now that if the beginning of the video was removed it would not affect the rest of the video. Nobody has claimed that video was spliced just that the events leading to her arrest were not included in the posting. The video has no fumbling or adjusting from the start of what we have seen, It cuts straight to her arrest at the car. That suggests to me that the video was already running and those that posted the video did not want to show what lead up to her arrest.

Then Mick I don’t know what you have been on about regarding editing the because that’s just what I said, the only possible place an edit could have been was at the beginning. But you suggested otherwise on your post below:

It is painfully obvious the video has been edited. All you have to do is look at the poster “Dublin says no”. A water protester to see what narrative attempting to be pushed

Here your are suggesting manipulation of some sort has taken place….. Its a film of a water protest of course it will contain water protest posters and t-shirts so I don’t know where your going with this line of argument.

I have been saying from the start if you care to look back at my posts that if there was an edit It could only be at the beginning. So you did not respond to my quire regarding the water workers videos or IW surveillance team GuardEx Limited and their lack of counter videos.

Martin. To change or remove ANY part of the video is to edit it. You that claims to know about editing should know that.

Martin. You first mentioned editing to sandbag by denying the video was edited at all. Then you go on to say that believing that it was edited suits my thesis therefore attempting to cast doubt that the video was cut.
You have tried and failed to misrepresent what I have said. when you claimed that I had agreed with you about her being arrested illegally. And when I asked you to point out anywhere I had agreed with you. You declined to answer.
So as the saying goes. If you find yourself in a hole. Stop digging.
Your argument has been utterly destroyed.

Should the Gardaí have stopped what they were doing here, while this woman was clearly resisting arrest, to engage in dialogue about what section of the law she was being arrested under to satisfy everyone present? Those guards were remarkably calm and restrained from what I can see, and in the midst of a crowd obviously hostile to them. That woman and some of her mates were doing their best to escalate things. If you are not happy with being arrested it’s an issue to make a fuss about afterwards, not as the arrest is taking place.

Hey Mick, I believe that what is commonly referred to as a SLAM DUNK…

Ah now Alan, there are a few here who would only be happy if the Gardaí had whipped out their battons and turned them on the contractors….

I also find it very interesting that there are people here giving out about a woman being arrested, but when a protestor pulls an imitation firearm and threatens an Irish Water sub contractor, they stay very quiet. Their silence would lead me to believe they condone that protestors actions…

Mick I don’t just claim, it Its my business I edit Mpeg’s Avi’s, Flv’s for teaching tools and e-learning solutions every day of the week. So we can dispense with the claim scenario.

Why are you getting so angry surely your Templemore training teaches you to covey your point without losing your temper. I have said continually If there was a possibility at all about the video being edited it was at the beginning. But made it quite clear I did not believe it to be edited myself.

You have failed to display any evidence that this video was edited its pure hearsay perhaps its the lack of any supporting videos from the IW people that is getting you heated it seems.

you said :

Martin where is the video preceding her arrest?

You are the one that suggests one exists therefore the burden of proof is on you. Indeed where is it? given the amount of Irish water works present and their phones were no doubt present. One would have to draw the conclusion that if one exists they do nothing to further your argument but rather the reverse.

The woman made a complaint based on this video it still stands, that might gall you Mick for whatever reason you guys like I said before just like the church you circle the wagons when wrong doing appears to have taken place by one of your own. But they have a question to answer and whether you like it or not you guys are subject to the law just like the rest of us.

Ah here we go, disagree with Martin and he’ll magically work out where you work based on what organisation he is trying to bash… Think I’ll go wash my car for a third time today, all this free water is great…

John sorry to burst your bubble but your motor Tax was increased on your car as was your VAT on the petrol that you put in it to specifically to pay for your water. 1.6 billion a year 600 per house per anum and it will continue even with your company’s bills coming in the door. If you already knew that I’m surprised you are so willing to pay the guts of a grand for the same service. I have a few bills you can pay for me if you are so eager to pay money you don’t owe.

I don’t use petrol, and the pittance I pay in road tax… bring it on…

Grand I’ll forward a few of my bills and you can take care of them…..Cheers John

Martin you are assuming I am a member of the Gardai. I am not nor have I ever claimed to be. And you did not “continually” say anything about the video being edited from the beginning .
1) You said to sandbag. “Sandbag seem a very unedited video to me, do you not agree”
2)You try cast doubt on the video being edited by saying ” Neither me or you know if the video was edited it suits your thesis to assume it was edited, by edited I presume you mean the beginning was cut out.”.
3)You try differentiate being cut and spliced together and the removal of a portion of the beginning of the video. As if one was editing and one was not. ” It is only possible that beginning was cut but after that there was absolutely no editing whatsoever”
4)I asked you to show where I had agreed with your interpretation of the video. when you made this statement. ” I agree with you what can be seen here suggests the lady (Sharon Briggs) was unlawfully arrested and without a doubt man handled if not actually sexually assaulted”
And as yet you have singularly ignored/declined to answer my question.

You have tied yourself in knots trying to squirm out of your original position on a video you introduced to back up your own argument. Something that has blown up in your face.
.

HARASSMENT.

You are confused as feck Mick. Maybe I should break it down for you.

[1] Did you or didn’t you suggest there was a longer version of the video ….Answer = Yes
Then its safe to say you think Sharon done something to warrant that treatment in that longer video……Answer Yes

[2] Isn’t it safe to say also then based on that admission by that you in yours comments, that you must think these Gardaí are arresting for her no apparent reason based on what you see in the existing video, else why say you think the video was edited…….Answer Yes

[3] Isn’t it the case that despite the presence of IW workers and their cameras no other footage of the arrest has come forth to prove Sharon done anything to warrant being arrested, Therefore mustn’t we base our opinion solely on what we see and not on hearsay ……Answer of course is Yes

[4] Given those Facts and they are FACTS Mick. Isn’t it he case that your argument is as you put it is utterly destroyed…….Answer Yes.

I Thhhhhhhhank youuuuuuuuu.

Ah Mick, what did you do to warrant a ticking of 48 hours after your last comment.. Wow.. now that is impressive…

In Canada John at the moment, I know your not the brightest but that’s far away and ye can’t get there without getting in big planes and spending a lot of time in them, We don’t all have the whole day to spend on your phone waiting for Dennis O’Brien’s Garda to push teachers and doctors and taxi drivers out of the way so you can did your holes.

Maurice McCabe has been vindicated by pretty much everybody with any bit of decency and sense. Except of course by the rank and file browsing thejournal.ie on their smart phones.

Martin you could get a job with GSOC. They’d like you a lot.

Thanks Brian I must apply.