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THE NATIONAL UNION of Journalists (NUJ) has urged Garda Commissioner Drew Harris to withdraw a request for journalists to turn over footage of the public order incidents in Coolock last week.
There have been multiple fires in recent weeks after a government-contracted provider had arrived at the former Crown Paints site in the Dublin suburb to begin work allowing it to be used as accommodation for International Protection Applicants.
There was also a large-scale riot on the day the contractors first arrived.
More than 20 people have been charged relating to incidents at the site.
At a press conference yesterday, Harris defended the policy of requesting the handover of material – and the policy of seeking court orders where cooperation is not forthcoming.
NUJ Irish secretary, Séamus Dooley, said in a statement this morning that the policy of seeking images from the media has the potential to “put media workers at risk of attack”, as well as “undermining” the independent role of the media in covering public order events.
Dooley said that the NUJ would be seeking a meeting with the Garda Commissioner on the matter.
“Reporters and photographers are independent witnesses, they are present to observe and report on the actions of all parties, including the gardaí,” he said.
“There is a real danger that if journalists are perceived as harvesting information for the gardaí they will be perceived as legitimate targets by the sinister forces behind recent public order incidents.”
He said that he was disappointed at Harris “ignoring the risks” in seeking media images when gardaí now have access to the use of body cameras worn by members of the force.
“The NUJ condemns attacks on Gardaí and the destruction of public property. It is vital that journalists are allowed to record and report such incidents.
“It would be ironic if the actions of the Gardaí were to undermine the ability of media organisations to carry out this function.”
Editor of Irish press photo agency Rolling News, Eamonn Farrell, took to Twitter/X on Monday to express his frustration at being contacted to pass over images to gardaí.
He said that this was now the second time this year he had been contacted by gardaí in respect to the handing over of images taken by photojournalists at anti-migrant riots.
“I understand gardaí now had access to body cams and were in a position to record breaches of the law by individuals without recourse to jeopardising the independence, objectivity and safety of professional visual journalists by requesting the handing over of digital imagery captured during serious disturbances,” he said.
He outlined that the involvement of journalists with the gardaí would “only inflame matters further”.
I find it odd that gardaí are complaining of the level of danger their own members are in, and yet are prepared to put journalists’ safety at risk by requesting that they become the eyes and ears of the State.
Gardaí began the use of body cameras at the end of May, with Justice Minister Helen McEntee calling it a ‘significant day’ for the force.
At the time of the launch, the force said that it expected that the cameras will improve safety for members, reduce complaints of police misconduct, save time in court preparation and appearances and lower costs in relation to those.
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Harris is way out of line here. It’s up to the government lackeys in uniform to get their evidence. Not the so called ‘press’.
@donal finn: eh … that is what they are doing … getting their evidence
If a photograph shows a person in a blatant act of committing a crime, is it necessary to reveal the source of the photograph. Does this also mean that if we hand over dash cam footage of an incident, we will have to give evidence in court as to the veracity and authenticity of the footage.?
@Patrick MC Dermott: yes unfortunately that is likely. In a scenario where the dash cam is seized lawfully (S.7 CJA) in the absence of volunteering it than no. Slightly unrelated but I think the use of dash cams in general is overlooked, the use of one in public makes the owner a data controller and is required to be compliant with gdpr and data principles. Which also means it can be requested lawfully using the 2018 act also.
@Sean Parker: my Dashcam is There for me and me only ,ie insurance backup
@derek long: ok man, good for you, more power to ya. You probably shouldnt bring it to the attention of law enforcement then. It can be seized if it is believed to contain evidence of a serious offence. Or seized under warrant or requested under the data protection act.
Also maybe brush up on your gdpr obligations if you are storing data from recording in public on it.
@derek long: until it isn’t ….. so naiive
@Patrick MC Dermott: no… you will only give permission or verify how it was lawfully obtained … you should let AGS download it … then you remove yourself from the chain of custody of thr exhibit
@PAUL C: yes this, I should have mentioned this.
There is a video of the protests where the riot squad beat a defenceless man on the ground, without provocation…..haven’t seen one report by the media about that incident.
@Dere: If the riot squad are present, in all probability, nobody is in any way innocent.
Otherwise, the riot squad wouldn’t be there.
Never, in all my life and all my years of Peaceful, and even anti-War, Protest, have I come upon the presence of the Riot Squad.
Or “Public Order Unit”.
Until the POU were sent in to the anti-austerity Peaceful, albeit extremely effing angry, Protests outside the Dáil.
After which there was uproar about the mere “Kettling” that was attempted by non-POUs, and outrage that the POU would even be considered against such Justifiable, and widely supported, Protests.
This was especially so, given that it was Garda Leadership who were Psychologically manipulating their own staff by implying Peaceful Protesters were would-be “Terrorists”.
That, in turn, was creating fear among protesters which would have ended in physical aggression and a probably a series of very, very serious or even fatal incidents.
Hence why, when the first **and only** Flare of the anti-austerity movement was lit – it was immediately put out and by consensus of the people thrown out.
Permanently.
It would have been the start of a Garda Confirmation Bias on a path to far more serious physical and violent clashes. Including tyre burning, tear gas, etcetera.
Yet.
Actual innocent people got plenty beaten by non-riot squad Gards at the May Day Rally.
As have women been crotch-grabbed at the Israeli Embassy, had signal jammers unleashed upon Irish Civilians at the Israeli Embassy, and Pepper-sprayed **while already subdued and cuffed** (for no legitimate reason, I might add) at the Occupy Dame Street literal anti-Elitist, anti-Bankster, for-the-people, thoroughly Peaceful Protest.
The anti-Bankster Protest was also assaulted with the **ARMED UNIT**.
So shut up ta f-k with ye!
Ye don’t know how good and easy ye have it out there in Coolock and the like.
I recall back when the covid lock down protests were taking place, the journalists from the main Irish media outlets were corralled behind the Gardai for their own protection because, they were told, their safety couldn’t be guaranteed if they went among the protestors to do their jobs.
They happily acquiesced, and were fed a diet of government propaganda that they dutifully reported as being the events of the day.
I don’t recall Mr Dooley being overly concerned at the time, but he should have known that the submission of his members to the demands of Harris and the Gardai would not stop there.
You reap what you sow.
@Garry Coll: two words went through my mind the whole way through reading that – Andrea,.Gilligan. newstalk is an outrageous cohort of pharma pushers too
The Irish Tories and the psni approach the Garda commissioner has is fueling the division. This is Orwellian
Great way to make the press a target at future protests if they hand over footage let the Guards do there own dirty work
@M G: what do the press usually do with the footage they gather ?? Eh .. broadcast it??
@PAUL C: They haven’t broadcast nor published the half of it.
Put it all in the public domaine.
Then nobody needs to “give it to the Gards”.
The Gards, like the Public, and the DPP, can absorb it and do with it whatever they want.
Simples.
What stop the police to have their own cameras. They are also sworn staff and their report can hold in court. Or am I missing something ?
@Dominic Leleu: Reading the article would help with that.
@Dominic Leleu: yes you are missing something … different cameras from different angles can prove guilt or innocence… AGS are legally obliged to seek ALL relevant evidence .. think of a football match where they show a handball incident from multiple cameras. While all showing the same incident… one will show a handball but 5 others might not … what if the 5 camera angles show what looks like a crime was being committed and a person is convicted. But then another camera shows up in a documentary 5 years later … but AGS didn’t obtain that angle as it was belonging to a journalist etc they already had the 5 body cameras that proved their case … and before you ask yes .. I’m a CCTV expert
@PAUL C: That, is profoundly, ridikulus.
(Yes, I can spell r-d-c-l etcetera properly, but even leaving out the vowels or entering any further dashes to the “s”, is “perceived as toxic” in this comments section).
It is, or should be, well beyond reasonable requirement to acquire footage from so many extra-organisational sources.
CCTV, from public or private entities, is something else entirely. By filming the public realm beyond their private property line, they have intruded upon and into the public discourse and the public’s activities, therefore they should be obliged to furnish the public Prosecution of public-interest Justice with their footage.
The Public interest served by The Free Press of any Civil, and Free, Society is entirely seperate and distinct from that of the Legislature, the Judiciary, and even National Security/Defence.
This, after all, is NOT AmeriKKKa.
Sure these Irish racists will attack journalists either way, look at how they’ve aggressively attacked RTÉ’s Barry O’Kelly, videoed themselves stalking Kitty Holland of The Irish Times, not to mention the hundreds of death threats to journalists by the far-right on Twitter and Facebook over the past 2 years.
@Jacintha Dumbrell: Yup. Exactly. It’s high time to put a stop to them.
All the photojournalist should pool their footage into 1 anonymised online source.
Come together.
And ‘open source’ it.
Seems to me, if someone commits a crime in plain and public view – the DPP can prosecute them.
If someone openly confesses to a crime online – the DPP can prosecute them.
Equally, if someone commits a crime in plain view of the public, the Gards, the DPP, dashcams, pedestrians-with-phones, CCTV, Traffic Cameras etc, and it is posted online free for all to see and download and print and use as they please – then the DPP can prosecute those openly committing crimes in public spaces who’s activities are openly shared in the open and public online domaine.
NUJ it’s called evidence, hand it over
@Terry Brophy: No. That is Fascism.
And as outrageous and as equal to the Fascistic actions and verbiage coming out of those scmbgs from Dublin to Offaly to Leitrim.
I recall
The press will show the photos in a newspaper with blurred images of faces, at the very least if they hand them over to the gardai they can identify these morons who went looking for trouble and had nothing to do with the protest.
@aidan martin: I cannot understand why their faces are blurred out, while every other protest group that has ever marched through Dublin, has had all their faces published without question or permission.
Let’s talk about said “body cameras”.
And the supposed “Public Consultation” – that was only ever presented in 1 single, solitary, *County* paper online.
That is far, FAR, from “Public” Consultation.
That is pure Government-constituency, rural country-bumpkins, deciding the public policy on body cameras.
Basically, it’s a sign-off for Government by their own Party members, with zero input from any other Constituencies.
Not least of whom being the main Constituencies – urban Constituencies – who will be faced with the obnoxious intrusion.
**AND** whom are, and have been, simultaneously the most exclusively and extensively exposed to widespread Garda Abuse of Power – mostly because all “National” Protests congregate in the Capital.
And pre-National Protests congregate in the Cities of the respective Provinces, before the Capital Marches.
A Public who both want, and don’t want, body cameras ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
That said, I can’t understand why ALL Gardaí can’t simply be supplied with a Mobile Phone harness for their Garda-issued (or not, but certainly 2-face encrypted) Mobile Phones!!?
Direct to Cloud.
Rather than being beholden to one Bid or other from foreign companies.
While I wholly agree it is totally and utterly outrageous for Gardaí, or any Police Force, or Law Enforcement agency of any kind, to request or demand the work product of any Journalist..
…I am nonetheless in favour of openly publishing every last one of the photos available, immediately and instantaneously, from every last source. Get the little scrotes faces out there so that everyone can know them.
And maybe identify them. Name them, and their families. Shame them.
And hopefully report them . . .to the Gards!!!
I am SICK of this pandering to the *Fascists* by blurring out their faces and clothing/accessory identifiers.
Or simply not ever publishing photos of them at all, anywhere.
It only emboldens them.
Nay, it *has* emboldened** them – they have been blurred out since before the Dublin Riot, since the anti-Vaccine …*riots*.
That is….Other than the handful who put themselves on the internet – like Waters and Gemma.
I’m sorry Photojournalists, but frankly – Journos only have themselves to blame for not nipping this in the bud much, much, much earlier on.
Audio-visual Newsmedia in particular – National Broadcasters.
From the earliest Lockdown there has been a thread of Foreign Interference **and** a thread of “in who’s interest” aka OCG’s vested interest in inciting opposition to Lockdowns. Lockdowns that were obstructing all forms of Trafficking. Then later OCGs were concerned with reducing Vaccine uptake (to keep the blackmarket supply and prices high on stolen, blackmarket, vaccine and non-vaccine “treatments”). On and on and on – consistent incitement in service of both OCGs, and Foreign States (US *and* Russia alike).
Silence is compliance.
And it is the silence of Media for many years now that has placed all of us in civil society, and themselves in particular, at the mercy of absolute and undeniable 21st Century anti-democracy and anti-FreePress and anti-Justice and anti-Law… FASCISTS.
This is not about poverty.
Nor “a community left behind”.
Or any other namby-pamby cry-baby whinging coming out of Sinn Féin and other Opposition Parties of late.
For the first time ever in Ireland – no Government has ever done more to offset unprecedented **potential** for Economic hardship. Through Pandemic, and War Inflation.
Because FYI people – it could have been a fk-load worse than the Recession. It could have been full-on Rationing and “Rations” being divvied up had Governments not tried to do *something*. At the start of the Pandemic there actually were occasions of active “Rationing” at the Retail level itself.
So I don’t want to hear anymore whinging from anyone. From any quarter, other than Gards not being trained or not getting the appropriate gear.
I want to hear the DPP prosecuting these f-rs in the **Special Criminal Court**, and nothing less than it.
They *ARE* both Domestic, and Foreign, Terrorists.
Some are from Ireland, some not, some from Italy or Hungary or USA.
ALL are being puppeteered from Russia-Israel via USA and UK.
I want to hear of the presence of the “Independent Legal Observers” at every riot.
And I want to see them spattered up on some online site where journalists can release their work product anonymously, but coded, and at most simply under the banner brand of their Employer (or a news outlet willing to sponsor/shelter their product).
If each photograph is coded with a number, then each photographer can receive any payment for use by foreign outlets via a sponsoring Irish or European news outlet.
Find a way lads.
That said: the “way” is not done by sending in your photojournalist **with their own usual private or work phone**.
Utter dumassery!!
“Boo-hoo they stole my phone”? Are you actually being serious? In this day-and-age of NannyCams, and the Spy shop on the Quays right up to the Recession, at least (if not still there!?).
I mean, jaysus lads, have none of ye heard of wildlife cameras…and a tree or lampost? Or even the, yennow, RING camera?!
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Not that I am encouraging covert surveillance of protests.
But ffs lads, the Gards own camera man (Mary Robinsons youngfella, according to himself), along with several subversive Gardaí, was literally *inside* the Occupy Dame Street protest – a gross violation of Constitutional Law.
And furthermore, the Occupy Dame Street **actually peaceful and perpetually pissed on** (literally urinated on by langers) Protest was assailed and assaulted by the ARMED Garda Unit fer jaysus sakes.
And not a peep outa yiz in the Media.
Not a peep.
Meanwhile these arsonists, vandals, actual violent thugs and *known criminals* are free to just run amok unchecked, terrorising the City and Rural Counties at the behest of Tommy Robinson, the TUV and Reclaim&ReformUK, and Orban-Bannon-Trump, on behalf of CambridgeAnalytica aka Russia-Trump-TeamJorge
A literal conspiracy, *in fact*, that conspiracy *theorists* will never see nor smell because – quite cleverly, this time – they have already been pre-fed a maddening inciting psy-ops dose of collective-hysteria-inducing theories of (initially plausible, now nuts) conspiracy.
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