Gardai 'failed to co-operate' with riot inquiry

The Garda Síochána Complaints Board said today it was "very disappointed" with the lack of co-operation from rank-and-file officers in its inquiry into last May's Reclaim the Streets march.

Seven gardaí are facing criminal charges in connection with the march on Dublin's Dame Street on May 6th. The event turned violent, leading to 24 arrests and a number of members of the public being hospitalised.

Twenty-three officers, including some of those facing criminal prosecutions, have been reported to a new Garda Tribunal for failing to wear proper identification badges that day. A total of 41 complaints were received by the board, of which 37 were investigated.

A large number of those facing charges were identified from footage supplied by commercial television stations and private individuals. Others were named by members of the public, the chairman of the board, Mr Gordon Holmes, said today. "But we are quite disturbed by the fact that not one of the gardaí on the street were able to identify any other members of the force."

Mr Holmes lamented the fact that there was no legal way of compelling Garda witnesses to identify their colleagues. "Because of this, there is no doubt that some people have avoided the consequences of what they did".

There are seven or eight gardaí he was very anxious to identify for "wielding batons in an improper way", he said.

Mr Holmes said 150 letters were sent to officers serving on the march, inviting them to offer their account of events. The letter explained that assistance was required in identifying certain gardaí from the videos.

A mere 20 officers responded, and not a single one was able to identify their colleagues, he stated. "Many members seemed to put loyalty to their colleagues ahead of loyalty to An Garda Síochána."

The level of assistance offered by senior Garda management was "excellent", he insisted.

The board was satisfied that there was "no concerted effort" by individual officers to avoid being identified by not wearing their numbers on their shirts or jackets.

This was merely an oversight, the board ruled. It noted that certain officers who arrived at the march without numbers actually left and subsequently returned with their identity badges in place.