09-05-2025
No formal garda complaints from protestors removed during Gaza rally at Leinster House
None of the demonstrators removed from a rally for mothers and children killed in Gaza at the Dáil last month have made a complaint to the Garda Ombudsman, the Irish Examiner has learned.
Up to 40 people – including members of the Mothers Against Genocide group – were involved in the overnight staged encampment that began on Mother's Day at the gates of Leinster House in Dublin.
The group blocked the entrance to the Dáil and were given a direction and a period of time by gardaí to move under the Public Order Act the following morning.
However, when they failed to do so, gardaí removed the protesters, causing outrage among some members of the public and TDs.
In the Dáil, People Before Profit TD Richard Boyd Barrett described it as a 'peaceful sit-down protest' and said the women were arrested 'violently, in some cases.'
He said one woman told him: 'I was stripped completely naked and was asked to remove my underwear. When I questioned the necessity of this, I was told I would be forced violently if I didn't comply,' the account read.
'After removing my underwear, they looked inside my private areas and touched all my sensitive parts.' Deputy Boyd Barrett described the alleged behaviour as 'absolutely disgusting' and said the women 'were a threat to nobody.'
While Solidarity–People Before Profit TD Ruth Coppinger said, 'Some of those women were strip-searched and one was subjected to a cavity search.'
Mothers Against Genocide protesting outside Leinster House, Mother's Day 2025
The Irish Examiner has since learned that none of the protesters who were removed from the gates of Leinster House have submitted a formal complaint to the new garda Ombudsman.
A spokesperson for Fiosrú, the Office of the Police Ombudsman, said it has received '61 contacts from concerned members of the public about the media reports of the protest.'
The statement continued: 'It is open to anyone directly affected by or who has witnessed an act or omission by An Garda Síochána members to make a complaint to Fiosrú.
'Fiosrú does not share information relating to complaints made by or against individuals. This is to protect the investigative process, and the rights of both complainants and those complained against.
'Fiosrú is not in a position to comment any further.'
The 61 complaints from members of the public include those who viewed videos of the incident on social media or read about it on the internet.
It does not include anyone who was directly affected by the incident that unfolded during the encampment.
Complaints can be submitted to Fiosrú up to a year after an alleged incident occurs involving gardaí.
Megan Ní Ghabhláin of Mothers Against Genocide said at the time there had been a complete escalation by the gardaí against women involved in a peaceful protest at a time when few people were going in and out of the Dáil.
'Unfortunately, this morning, the gardaí decided they were going to remove these precious faces of these children in the most disrespectful manner,' she said.
Garda presence as Mothers Against Genocide protest outside Leinster House, 31 March 2025
Labour Leader Ivana Bacik later said she was 'shocked' that anyone from Mothers Against Genocide would be arrested.
Meanwhile, Social Democrats TD Gary Gannon said it was a 'heavy-handed approach' by gardaí.
A garda spokesperson said at the time: 'The direction given by gardaí was not complied with and a number of individuals were subsequently arrested for offences contrary to the Criminal Justice (Public Order) Act 1994 and conveyed to garda stations in Dublin.
'10 females (20s, 30s, 40s and 50s) and one male (20s) were arrested under Section 8 of the Criminal Justice (Public Order) Act, 1994.
'All 11 people have received adult cautions.
'An additional three men (20s and 30s) were also arrested for alleged offences under sections 6, 9, and 19 of the Criminal Justice (Public Order) Act 1994.
'The three individuals have been charged and are now before the courts.'
