Shell to Sea Complaints to Garda Ombudsman.

dublin | rights, freedoms and repression | press release

Tuesday May 08, 2007 17:00

by Shell to Sea

SHELL TO SEA TO BRING COMPLAINTS OF ABUSE TO GARDA OMBUDSMAN ON FIRST DAY OF BUSINESS.

NEWS RELEASE
Issued by Shell to Sea
Tuesday May 8th, 2007
For immediate release.

-- Campaigners from four provinces to hand in complaints on Wednesday 9th May at 2.30pm at 150 Upr Abbey St, Dublin 1. --

Residents of Erris, Co Mayo and Shell to Sea supporters from around the country will travel to Dublin on May 9th, to present complaints of Garda violence to the new Garda Ombudsman Commission at 2.30pm -- its opening day of business.

Hundreds of Gardaí have been mobilised to police the ongoing protests at Shell's proposed refinery site at Bellanaboy since October 3rd, 2006.

Shell to Sea spokesperson John Monaghan said: "This Garda operation, which has cost the taxpayer over €5million so far, has unfortunately revealed a policy of physical violence and verbal abuse against legitimate protest, instead of applying the rule of law and due process. Local people have been living in what is effectively a Police State since last October, and it's still going on today."

Numerous people have been assaulted by Gardaí over the past seven months, including local and national supporters who have continued to travel to Bellanaboy in support of the ongoing Shell to Sea picket.

At 2.30pm on Wed 9th at the Garda Ombudsman Commission, 150 Upper Abbey Street, Dublin 1, Philip Mc Grath, one of the Rossport Five, will be joined by supporters who will have travelled from the four provinces to present their complaints to the Ombudsman.

The new Garda Ombudsman Commission is independently set up to replace the old Garda Complaints Board, to which Shell to Sea campaigners have also made complaints. Private prosecutions were also initiated in open court last week against a number of Gardaí.

Mr Monaghan said: "We should all welcome the setting up of this new Independent Commission and we look forward, in good faith, to having our complaints investigated fairly and in full."

ENDS

For verification or comment, contact:
John Monaghan
086 3123439

For further information or assistance, contact:
Niall Harnett
086 8444966
clareshelltosea (at) gmail (dot) com

NOTES TO EDITORS:
* Philip Mc Grath of the Rossport Five and other Shell to Sea campaigners will be gathering outside the Commission offices
from 2pm (on Wednesday, May 9th) and will be available for interview/photographs.
* The Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission is located at 150 Upper Abbey St, Dublin 1, www.gardaombudsman.ie .

SHELL TO SEA WEBSITE:
http://www.shelltosea.com

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Comments (9 of 9)

Not too late. Get writing.

by Niall

Tue May 08, 2007 19:16

If you have a complaint outstanding, then write it out an account now of the incident, with your name and address, time and location, and Garda number/identity if possible. Bring to Ombudsman at 2pm.

Time limit

by Jack Doyle

Thu May 10, 2007 10:47

jackdoyle at yahoo dot co dot uk

People should not be afraid to make a complaint. It is your duty to do so. Remember we the people are in charge , the Gardai are our servants. Personally I cant wait to make a complaint about my friend Sergeant DA 51. Hopefully there will be a lot more complaints about him.

Last Laugh

by Jim O Toole

Thu May 10, 2007 11:08

Try as you will . The Gardai will have the last laugh. You we put off the road because you didnt respect the rights of others. I hope the ombudsman has a big shredder for all your complaints. Some of you will have your day in court ... in the dock. The law is for all the people and should be respected by all the people

Faulty logic

by NMI

Thu May 10, 2007 16:39

Some of us have already been in court, and in prison because of this failed scheme.

If the law applies to everyone, why doesn't apply to the Guards who kick punch and beat people in Mayo instead of arresting them?

Garda Ombudsman

by Louanda McArama

Personally I think it's about time the ombudsman has been set up, the way the Gardaí treat civilians is a disgrace. Some of course are grand, but give some of them a uniform and they think they own the place. The power they hold has corrupted some of them, and what I've seen down is Rossport makes me sick. They obviously didn't study Irish in school, "Gardaí Síochana" means Guardians of the Peace, not beat up those who are standing up against Shell. The Gardaí should be ashamed of themselves. Hurray for the Ombudsman

McDowell on You Tube

by you tuber

Thu May 10, 2007 17:15

Michael McDowell on You Tube at the Garda Ombudsman Opening

Truth

Fri May 11, 2007 00:28

I suspect that Jim O Toole is a member of the Gardai . What do you think folkes ? So Mr. Jim , please climb back into your box and be warned " The Truth Will Out ". Its been a long time coming but JUSTICE WILL BE DONE.

Shell to Sea'ers - make your complaints.

by Niall Harnett.

Fri May 11, 2007 00:39

About 20 Shell to Sea complaints went in, to my knowledge, on Ombudsman 'opening day' May 9th, including some that we hand-delivered on behalf of others.

Get your complaints in within six months of the date of incident to be guaranteed investigation. However, the Ombudsman Commission may extend that period if it has 'good reason' to do so. Many Shell to Sea complaints go back to October 2006. Get them in now.

Simply write an account of what happened, include your name and postal address and Garda identity/number, if possible. Engage in written and/or email correspondence only, to preserve the record. Do not engage in discussion about your case on the phone, just use the phone for appointments and the like.

Email your complaints to info@gsoc.ie with the subject: 'FAO Senior Case Officer, (Shell to Sea Complaint).'

We expect the Ombudsman Commission to investigate our complaints thoroughly for the purposes of prosecuting these Gardaí and convicting them of violent and criminal behaviour.

Anyone who would like to avoid the Ombudsman and initiate more direct private prosecutions in open court against Gardaí, without solicitors, contact me at 086 8444966 please.

Please also study 'Your rights and how to deal with the Gardaí' here: http://www.indymedia.ie/article/82108

DA 51

by jack Doyle

Wed May 16, 2007 22:35

Can anybody tell me where the DA numbers come from ?

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Comments (9 of 9)