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Garda\u00ed will enforce the law in response to violent clashes arising from coronavirus protests, an assistant commissioner has said.<\/p>\nGarda\u00ed will enforce the law in response to violent clashes arising from coronavirus protests, an assistant commissioner has said.<\/p>\n
It follows two arrests on Saturday when violence broke out between opposing sets of protesters during anti-mask demonstrations outside Leinster House.<\/p>\n
Assistant Commissioner for Policing and Community, Paula Hilman said that while there is a balance to be struck between the right to protest and public health, those committing offences will be investigated.<\/p>\n
Asked about Sunday\u2019s protest, she said: \u201cThroughout the Covid-19 pandemic, we have applied a proportionate response to that.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn doing so, we firstly engage with people, we explain, we encourage and then the fourth tier is to enforce.<\/p>\n
\u201cNow, we have a role as a police service to then enforce the law and we will police the protests and at the outset engage with the organizers. But where potential offences have been committed, then we will look at investigating those offences.\u201d<\/p>\n
She said there is no \u201ceasy solution\u201d to the anti-mask protests, which have seen hundreds of people participating in large gatherings in Dublin and across the country.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere is a right to peaceful and lawful protest but that also in today\u2019s environment has to be balanced with health, with what we\u2019re dealing with in a pandemic. So it is a balance.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s not an easy solution. But we will play our part in both engaging with organizers and having any proportionate policing response to what is required and the situation that we face.”<\/p>\n
Ms. Hilman was speaking today at the Mansion House in Dublin, where Garda\u00ed and local authorities issued an open letter to citizens of the capital to adhere to public health guidelines.<\/p>\n
She added: \u201cI would encourage everyone to work together. What today is about is everyone playing their part in keeping our society safe, to comply with what we need to do, to stop the spread of the pandemic.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s by maintaining social distancing, wearing a mask, limiting contacts.\u201d<\/p>\n
The open letter called on Dubliners to take responsibility for their actions and work together to reduce the spread of the coronavirus.<\/p>\n
It was signed by Dublin lord mayor Hazel Chu, Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown Cathaoirleach councilor Una Power, Fingal mayor David Healy and South Dublin mayor Ed O\u2019Brien as well as Dr Deirdre Mulholland of the HSE, and Ms. Hilman.<\/p>\n
Speaking afterwards, Ms. Chu said that there is a \u201ctiredness\u201d setting in with regards to the pandemic restrictions, but urged people to keep up the fight and protect each other.<\/p>\n
She said: \u201cI think there\u2019s a tiredness that\u2019s setting in. I\u2019ve heard words like complacency, lethargy, but I think exhaustion is really the right thing to note it as. Because that\u2019s what people are, people are tired.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe thing is, the CMO (Dr. Tony Holohan) is reiterating it not because he thinks people aren\u2019t adhering to it. It\u2019s because he knows that if he keeps saying it, people will continue to fight. That\u2019s what we need to do.<\/p>\n
She added: \u201cThose numbers that we see every day. Those are real live numbers with lives that are lost. We need to see those as people that we can protect.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is something that we can all do, which is bound together and make sure that we continue to adhere to restrictions.\u201d<\/p>\n