RECENTLY appointed Garda Commissioner Drew Harris has condemned online threats made against a garda, branding them ‘completely unacceptable’.
Gardaí have now launched an investigation into the threats made against a garda serving in Dublin.
According to RTÉ News, the investigation follows reports that a garda who policed the Take Back the City protest in Dublin last week had been identified and threatened on social media.
Commissioner Harris said gardaí should be able to do their jobs without being intimidated.
“Threats and intimidation against Garda members who are only doing their job to keep people safe and uphold lawful order are completely unacceptable,” he said. “I utterly condemn it.”
In a statement, gardaí said appropriate supports had been put in place by garda management to protect the welfare and safety of the garda who was threatened.
'Sinister'
Jim O’Callaghan, Fianna Fáil spokesperson on Justice, condemned the threats made against the garda, describing them as ‘sinister’.
“I have seen these sinister and threatening posts on social media,” said the TD for Dublin Bay South.
“They are completely unacceptable and serve to highlight the intimidation and harassment that gardaí are subjected to by a small minority as they go about doing their jobs.”
He added: “It is important to recognise that the Gardaí have the support of the vast majority of the Irish people.
“This will not be affected by the anonymous rantings of individuals on social media who refuse to reveal their own identities.
“Those that abuse and harass people on social media must be held accountable for their actions.”
Earlier this week, Commissioner Harris admitted the wearing of masks by gardaí who attended an eviction of housing protestors “was not correct” following criticism of the tactic.
However he praised gardaí for showing “restraint in the face of physical and verbal abuse from a very small minority”.
