Lessons need to be learned from Coolock protests - Martin
· RTE.ieTánaiste Micheal Martin has said lessons need to be learned following the issues raised by the RTÉ Investigates documentary Inside the Protests broadcast last night.
The programme, which was shot over six months, recorded the behaviour and activities of people protesting against accommodation for migrants.
Mr Martin said the Government needed to reflect on whether or not the criminal justice system should be reviewed in terms of combating the type of behaviour depicted.
He said he was appalled at the intimidation directed at an RTÉ reporter which, he described as, "a threat to democracy".
Mr Martin said that there had been a significant number of arrests arising from protests at the former Crown Paints factory in Coolock, north Dublin, and people were still before the courts.
He said: "The State does need to learn lessons from what happened in Coolock. I watched it [Inside the Protests] last evening, I was uncomfortable with what I saw.
"I know the gardaí have issued very strong statements accounting for what transpired over those few days and overall about 200 gardaí were involved, but this is a relatively new phenomenon in Ireland in terms of the degree to which people they can take control of given environments, or take the law into their own hands.
"We do need to reflect on whether our criminal justice system needs a review in terms of combating the type of behaviour we saw on RTÉ Investigates last evening."
Read more: Inside the Protests: Cameras capture moment Coolock site attacked
The Tánaiste said democracy depended on the media being able to go about its business and there could be no tolerance of any interference with reporting of events.
Mr Martin said people were not getting away with what they did and would not get away with what they did.
He said the days of - what might be termed - "a traditional garda response" were over.
Mr Martin said that the garda commissioner was responsible for operational responses and that judgement calls had to be made on a case-by-case basis when it comes to such events like those seen in Coolock.
He said that in terms of the situation in Coolock, clearly people were at risk and one person was injured.
The Tánaiste said that it was important to reflect also on hate and vile commentary and ask where it is coming from.
"It's a matter of really grave concern," he added.
'Scare tactics' intimidating for gardaí - Leahy
Former garda assistant commissioner Pat Leahy said "scare tactics" by protesters against gardaí were intimidating, and were having a negative effect on guards, some who are young men and women with families.
He said that there was a need to deal with that, potentially through legislation.
He told RTÉ's Today With Claire Byrne: "This is not part of the normal protest approach, although it is becoming such".
He said that in the case of Coolock, uniform gardaí were left exposed for too long and were not equipped to deal with violence on the front line.
"We were putting them in harm’s way, and last night it appeared to me that they left exposed for too long. That was a job for the public order unit," he added.
A retired garda inspector and former head of the Garda National Diversity Unit said that in a protest type environment, a police officer is like a referee and has to make sure that both sides are treated fairly.
Dr Dave McInerny said gardaí have to ensure people can "enjoy their rights equally".
He told the same programme: "We don't allow one element impinge upon the rights of the majority.
"It's about fair policing techniques."
Dr McInerny noted that every garda has a helmet and said he did not understand why gardaí were not wearing helmets at the protests or did not bring shields for their own safety.