Garda Public Order Unit

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Garda Public Order Unit is the unit within An Garda Síochána that deals with situations where public disorder may be encountered. i.e riots and protests.

A sergeant of the POU persuades a Shell to Sea protester to leave Lennon's quarry, Glencastle, November 2006. The protester, seen bleeding here, was later brought to hospital by ambulance.
A sergeant of the POU persuades a Shell to Sea protester to leave Lennon's quarry, Glencastle, November 2006. The protester, seen bleeding here, was later brought to hospital by ambulance.

This unit is trained to monitor and deal with events that could lead to violence, often using violence. In 2006 the Public Order Unit was involved in the 2006 Dublin riots, and were deployed to deal with rioters in Dublin's city centre. Some members of the unit were injured during the riots, which lasted several hours. Their handling of the violence was heavily criticised in its aftermath.

Several members are being investigated for using excessive force while baton-charging members of Shell to Sea (including women and old men) in Erris in the autumn of 2006. A baton-charge had been ordered to enable the government's no-arrest policy concerning Shell to Sea, even though there had never previously been violence at any Shell to Sea protest. In February 2007, members of the unit were deployed to a halting site belonging to the Traveller community in Cork after uniformed Gardaí were attacked there.

[edit] External links

v • d • e
Divisions of An Garda Síochána
Special units
Other sections
 This Ireland-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.