GARDAÍ ARE MAKING enquiries about the activities of people involved in “Epstein Files” themed floats at a number of St Patrick’s Day parades in the north west of the country, which were condemned this week by sexual abuse support groups as trivialising rape. 

After a float passed through Ballinrobe in Co Mayo during the town’s parade last Tuesday, video circulated online showing the float being pulled by a tractor with men chasing people dressed as girls alongside it. 

On the float itself, a number of people were seen mimicking the rape of people dressed as girls on a mattress while another person wearing what appeared to be a Garda uniform pulled one of them away and puts them in a mock cell. 

The float was adorned with Irish flags and signs that read: “Prince Andrew going to jail.” 

The incident caused outrage and was condemned by the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre, whose chief executive said it “trivialises the awful reality of sexual violence and is extremely insensitive to victims and survivors”. 

In a statement today, a Garda spokesperson said:

“An Garda Síochána is aware of concerns raised in relation to the activities surrounding certain participants who took part in a number of St Patrick’s Day parades in the North Western Region.

“An Garda Síochána is making enquiries into the activities complained of.” 

Jeffrey Epstein was a paedophile financier with connections to many famous and powerful people. One of them is Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, the British prince who has been stripped of his titles because of his close relationship with the convicted sex offender. 

Epstein died in a New York jail while awaiting trial on child sex trafficking charges in 2019. A coroner ruled he died by suicide.