Protestors Were Arrested And Strip Searched At Mothers Against Genocide Protest, Dáil Hears
Protestors Were Arrested And Strip Searched At Mothers Against Genocide Protest, Dáil Hears
“I was stripped completely naked and was asked to remove my underwear,”
At a “Mothers Against Genocide” peaceful demonstation and virgil outside Leinster House, gardaí arrested a total of 14 people. Ten women and one man were arrested under Section 8 of the Criminal Justice (Public Order) Act 1994, with gardaí confirming that all 11 received adult cautions. Three other men were also arrested for alleged offences under Sections 6, 9, and 19 of the Act. They have been charged and are due to appear in court.
During a Dáil session yesterday, allegations emerged that female protesters were strip-searched following arrests. The protest involved a sit-down action blocking the Dáil entrance.
Videos shared online show gardaí forcibly removing women from the scene. People Before Profit TD Richard Boyd Barrett called it a “peaceful sit down protest” and claimed some women were arrested “violently.” He read a protester’s account stating, “I was stripped completely naked and was asked to remove my underwear,” and that officers “looked inside my private areas and touched all my sensitive parts.” He condemned the alleged treatment as “absolutely disgusting.”
During Leaders’ Questions, Taoiseach Micheál Martin said there was “no problem” with peaceful protests but that demonstrators were blocking access to the Dáil. He explained that gardaí issued warnings under the Public Order Act before making arrests, with all 11 receiving adult cautions. He added that he would follow up with the Justice Minister regarding the strip-search allegations, as he didn’t “understand the necessity” for them.
Justice Minister Jim O’Callaghan did not directly address the claims but emphasized that complaints about Garda conduct should be reported to the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (GSOC), which is being restructured and renamed Fiosrú. GSOC later stated it could not confirm whether any complaints had been filed.
