Gardaí demand to be armed with pepper spray

GARDA representatives yesterday demanded their members be armed with pepper sprays after gardaí were hospitalised following a public order incident.

The Garda Representative Association (GRA) also criticised the Health and Safety Authority (HSA) for “failing” to investigate garda working conditions and ensure the safety of police.

Three gardaí were hospitalised in Sligo early on Sunday after being attacked by 20 youths who were reportedly “egged on” by up to several hundred onlookers exiting night clubs.

“What happened in Sligo was indicative of what the gardaí are facing. There are public order incidents every week,” said the GRA president John Egan.

“We are calling for the issuing of pepper sprays. It would be an effective tool for us. It is only a matter of time before a member is killed.”

Three gardaí were recovering yesterday after being violently assaulted by 20 youths in the centre of Sligo town early on Sunday.

One of the officers had several teeth loosened and the others suffered cuts and bruises when they were kicked and punched. Bottles and beer cans were thrown at them.

Three people have already been charged and another two are expected to be arrested within the next 24 hours and will appear with the others at a special sitting of Sligo District Court on Thursday.

Also on Sunday morning in Donegal it took a half hour for four gardaí with batons drawn to bring under control a fight involving more than 15 men from the town and nearby Mountcharles.

Garda reinforcements had to be dispatched from Ballyshannon, 22 kilometres away.

Mr Egan said there were simply not enough gardaí on duty over weekends to deal with large public order incidents.

He said pepper sprays — which incapacitate people for up to 30 minutes when sprayed in the eyes — would help gardaí deal with violent attackers.