There is a dangerous idea circulating that the Gardaí need tasers to deal with rioting crowds. While tasers are not a single use weapon, they are quite difficult to reload and require care and attention to prevent accidental electrocution. This feeling of being wronged is particularly strong when the force used by the police is spectacular. In a riot, gardaí will often seek to clear participants out of a particular space and to break up crowds. The idea that tasers would be used during a riot fundamentally misunderstands both the dynamics of civil unrest and the function of tasers.

Source: Irish Examiner January 20, 2026 02:40 UTC