The Garda’s response to different sets of people protesting about different issues during the Covid-19 policing operation might be seen as “inconsistent” and “unfair”, the Policing Authority has said. The Policing Authority did not specifically reference a protest by Debenhams workers and an unrelated protest by supporters of journalists Gemma O’Doherty and John Waters but the Irish Times understands it was referring to those protests. Between April 8th and 11th, the first three days of the new Garda powers, ten arrests were carried out under those new powers. Mr Collins said the authority accepted Garda Commissioner Drew Harris was obliged to provide protective equipment to members of the force. “Concern remains that this type of activity would become routine, rather than exceptional,” the authority notes in its report.

Source: The Irish Times May 08, 2020 19:18 UTC