9th May 2002

PRESS RELEASE

GREEN PARTY CALL FOR REVIEW OF GARDA TRAINING

The Green Party has called for a review of Garda training after the scenes of Garda violence at last Monday’s ‘Reclaim the Streets’ demonstration. It also called on the Taoiseach to explain withdraw his comments that the situation had been "successfully dealt with".

“This is not the first time that the Gardaí have over-reacted to non-violent street protests,” stated Ciarán Cuffe of the Green Party, speaking at the Protest this evening outside Pearse Street Garda Station. “They also manhandled protestors last September on International Car-Free day.”

“The Gardaí need better training in crowd control. Drawing batons is an inappropriate reaction to non-violent direct action. Their violence was disturbing, and wrong.

“The Garda Siochana deserve support, but incidents such as those which occur last Monday undermine the general public’s confidence in the force.  They should be closing roads to traffic instead of manhandling street protestors "

“Many of the young people at last Monday’s Street Party were calling for more pedestrianised areas and less traffic on inner city streets and that is a legitimate and laudable aim”

ENDS

For further information contact:

Ciarán Cuffe, Dáil Candidate   087 265 2075 or 618 3082

Stephen Rawson, Press Officer 087 235 7551 or 618 4088