A number of women who protested outside Leinster House were arrested, strip searched and one was subjected to a cavity search, the Dáil has heard.
People Before Profit leader Richard Boyd Barrett raised the issue on Tuesday, saying the group was showing solidarity with the women and children of Palestine and Lebanon but were “arrested violently and strip-searched”.
The group, called Mothers Against Genocide, held an overnight protest on Sunday night outside Leinster House to mark mothers’ day and to remember the mothers and children killed in Gaza.
Mr Boyd Barrett cited comments from one woman. He quoted: “I was stripped completely naked and asked to remove my underwear.
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“When I questioned the necessity for this I was told I would be forced violently if I didn’t comply and they didn’t want any trouble.
“They looked inside my private area and touched all my sensitive parts.”
Mr Boyd Barrett said it was “absolutely disgusting”. He asked Taoiseach Micheál Martin if he condoned that kind of treatment “of people who were a threat to nobody”.
[ Mothers arrested during Gaza protest after Leinster House entrance blockedOpens in new window ]
His party colleague Paul Murphy said 14 people were arrested and the woman Mr Boyd Barrett spoke about is Palestinian.
He said she was “forced to remove her underwear, her private parts were touched and looked inside” and she was subjected to a “cavity search”.
“Her hajib was confiscated to check if it was allowed before it was being returned to her.”
He added that she said after the procedures were completed: “I was released with a warning that if I participated [in] any further events, I would be punished and that this was my only chance.”
The Dublin South-West TD asked: “What sort of repressive State are we operating in?”
He said the women were protesting in support of the Occupied Territories Bill, which the Government had promised during the election campaign would be passed. He added that they were protesting to stop weapons going through Irish airspace “which is continuing and increasing”.
Solidarity TD Ruth Coppinger said some of the women were strip-searched. She too alleged one was subjected to a cavity search and said “these are deemed sexual violence actions by Amnesty International”.
The Taoiseach said he had no issue with people protesting but the demonstrators blocked the entrance to Leinster House when they could have protested at either side of the entrance.
Mr Martin said the protesters were given a directive to move and given time to do so but they did not. He said 11 were arrested under public-order legislation and three were arrested for alleged offences.
“I will follow up with the Minister for Justice over the assertions and allegations in relation to strip searches. I have no information as to that but I will follow up on it because I do not understand the necessity for any strip-searching or whatever.”
Earlier, Sinn Féin justice spokesman Matt Carthy described the approach to the peace protest as “unnecessarily heavy-handed”.
Mr Carthy said in a statement that “while the security at the Dáil is important, the response of An Garda Síochána to a peaceful protest should be proportionate.
“Mothers Against Genocide have made serious complaints about their treatment in custody. These complaints need to be fully investigated,” he said.
Asked for a comment on the allegations raised in the Dáil, a Garda spokeswoman said: “An Garda Siochana is aware of statements made in Dail Eireann today under privilege.
“Any person that has a formal complaint to make can do so at any Garda Station or through the Garda Siochana Ombudsman Commission.”
