Galway Bus Harassed By Gardai

national | miscellaneous | news report Sunday April 13, 2003 13:56 by Vinnie

Yesterday on the way to a peaceful protest at shannon the Galway bus was stopped by Gardai and pulled to the side of the road. Gardai boarded the bus and proceeded to inform us that they were searching us and our belongings under the public order act, as they had reasonable suspicion we might be carrying items which could be used as weapons. They searched all our bags and coats and the boot of the bus. They were quite thorough and searched everyone even a blind woman who was travelling with us.

We did make an effort to inform them that we had reasonable suspicion that items which could be used as weapons may be concealed in planes at Shannon, but most likely the chip in their brain that makes them selectively apply the law blocked it out. Some of us also felt the need to come forward and admit that some of our packed lunches contained sandwiches with pointy edges which could be used as weapons, but they didn't seem concerned.

This act by the gardai was harrassment plain and simple. None of us has ever engaged in violence at previous marches nor did we intend to yesterday. The operation was intended to intimidate us and scare us off from coming agin, a tactic which works well on people new to protesting.

Later on that day Gardai were spotted noting down the reg plates and name of the buses that brought us here. We do know that of late bus companies have been much more reticent to take bookings for protest marches whereas thay have had no problems with us before. All of this would lead one to the conclusion that the Gardai are perhaps actively engaging in a war of intimidation against us and the services we require in order to prevent us from getting to protests in the first place.

I am sickened and appalled that my hard earned tax money goes to pay for these pre-fascist bootboys.