1 October 1998 Edition
Anti-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''.
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''.