Amnesty International says gardaí should stop using spit hoods

Gardaí should stop using spit hoods immediately, according to Amnesty International.

A new report from the Northern Ireland policing board endorses a review by the PSNI which says the objects do not prevent the spread of Covid-19.

In Ireland, the ‘anti-spit hoods’ have been used by gardaí a total of 118 times while policing during the Covid-19 pandemic.  

They have been used six times in the last month.

Gardaí said that there was 31 additional incidents in which members of the force were spat and coughed at were recorded last month.  

Colm O'Gorman, from Amnesty International, said that there was a need to protect individual gardaí from biting and spitting but added that the use of spit hoods was only meant as an emergency measure at the start of the pandemic.

He said: “Our difficulty though, is that spit hoods were introduced as a measure to prevent the transmission of Covid-19.

“And unfortunately there is no evidence to support the idea.

“They may indeed increase the risk of transmission, given the fact that there will likely be a struggle involved to place them over people’s head.

“And in that struggle, you’re likely to see more aerosol contaminants produced.”

Last month, a Policing Authority report praised gardaí for their efforts during the pandemic but was critical of the spit hoods.

It said: "While the Authority’s reservations remain, it is positive to see the declining use of anti‐spit hoods."