ti-drugs activists harassed
By Michael Pierse
The harassment of anti-drug activists by the Garda Síochána has
been increased recently, in what has been described as a
mischievous and unhelpful campaign.
Three young men handing out leaflets for an anti-drugs meeting in
Crumlin were arrested in obscure circumstances. The three, two of
whom are Sinn Féin members, were, quite cynically, arrested by
uniformed Gardaí under The Misuse of Drugs Act. The three were
strip searched, held for one and-a-half hours and questioned
about local people involved in drugs, after which they were freed
without charge.
At the public meeting much disquiet was voiced at the level of
Garda intimidation towards activists, while they concurrently
fail to pose any serious threat to those peddling drugs. Local
anti-drugs activist Michael Carney spoke on RTÉ Radio 1 of his
frustration at Garda harassment.
Last Saturday morning at 6.30am, while Carney's 16 year old
daughter was preparing for work, the front door was broken by a
sledgehammer. When the girl arrived in the hallway, a gun was
pointed at her through the broken door window while she was
ordered to vacate the area. Fourteen Gardaí, uniformed and in
plain clothes, then raided the house.
Carney was arrested and held until 10.10pm that night, while
Gardaí refused to tell his wife where he was being held. Local
Addiction Support Worker Brian Kenna phoned several stations
until he eventually found Michael. Kenna had also been harassed
by a Garda Detective that week. The previous day, while
collecting his nine year old son from school, he was approached
by a detective and detained in mid-traffic while his car was
searched. Inside the Station, Michael Carney was repeatedly told
by Gardaí that they were the law and that anti-drugs activists
were not needed in the city. He was later released without
charge. He was not searched in custody.
According to Kenna, ``the community are incensed'' that their
community workers are ``forced to endure very sinister and
unnecessary harassment''.
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