Gardaí to face civil cases over May Day clashes

AT least seven civil cases are due before the courts against the gardaí for alleged assault arising out of the Reclaim the Streets clashes in May 2002.

A week after the acquittal of a fourth garda on criminal charges of assaulting protestors at the march in Dublin, it has emerged that seven people - five male and two female - are suing the State for compensation for injuries they received after being allegedly assaulted by gardaí.

"Our clients maintain they were unlawfully assaulted and injured and some were wrongfully arrested and charged - their charges were subsequently dropped," said Padraig Ferry, of Ferry Solicitors, which is representing five claimants. "Our clients were lawfully there. They sustained injuries and there is more than enough evidence that these injuries were caused to them by An Garda Síochána."