Gardaí call for protections from 'antagonism' of so-called 'citizen journalists'

Personal or identifiable information about gardaí is sometimes shared online as part of this 'citizen-journalist' content, potentially putting gardaí and their families at risk, AGSI conference told.

Camera phones are being shoved in the faces of gardaí by so-called citizen journalists in a bid to antagonise them and create viral content, an inspector has warned.

Gardaí need legal protections and clear directions in how to deal with the surge in people filming, livestreaming and sharing content featuring gardaí online, which is taking a serious toll on the force, said Inspector Amanda Flood of Store Street Garda Station in Dublin.

Videos are often heavily edited, misrepresenting the truth, and sometimes identify gardaí, she said.

“Citizen journalists go into a highly pressurised, emotionally charged and potentially volatile situation and subsequently antagonise members to such an extent […] to elicit a response and then clip that response and post it online in the hope of going viral,” Insp Flood said.

This is taking a toll both on gardaí and their families, she added.

What we're dealing with here is the antagonism of members.

This form of antagonism and harassment is now so rife it could impact recruitment and retention, she said.

Personal or identifiable information about gardaí is sometimes shared online as part of this "citizen-journalist" content, potentially putting gardaí and their families at risk.

Many of these citizen journalists have been linked to disinformation, the far right and anti-immigration protests.

People going to report sensitive crimes like sexual assault at Garda stations can also encounter these people filming and recording on smartphones, Insp Flood said.

But stations should be “a safe space” and “refuge from aggressors”.

“Anyone who comes into a Garda station, there is a potential they are there to report a crime. And if people come into a Garda station and film, then they're putting them at risk.” 

These "citizen journalists" have entered Garda stations filming people reporting domestic violence, she said.

“And that doesn't put them in a safe space.” 

A motion at the 47th annual Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors (AGSI) conference in Killarney is now calling for clear practical guidelines for members so they know what to do when they are being filmed by the public.

It is also calling for legal protections to stop members being harassed online or having personal or identifiable information about them shared online, Insp Flood said.

The motion also calls for management to support members when they do find themselves a victim of social media abuse, Insp Flood said.

“An Garda Síochána policy and procedure around social media should centre on balancing the public's right to transparency with the need to protect gardaí from potential harassment and operational challenges,” the motion says.

A recent Policing Authority review on public order policing revealed some gardaí were reluctant to use force, even in serious situations where it would seem warranted, due to concerns they would be filmed and the footage would go viral.

Gardaí are being filmed while at work, providing a public service, but there are no protections from them being filmed, like there would be for staff in a NCT test centre, Insp Flood said.