Gardaí probe 'hate motive' for abuse at Clonmel Pride Festival

Garda said they are aware of a video circulated online showing a man disrupting a Pride parade in the Co Tipperary town, and are gathering evidence.

A man shouting abuse at people participating in the first ever Clonmel Pride Festival.

Gardaí are investigating possible “hate-related motivation” regarding ugly scenes at the first ever Pride festival in Clonmel, Co Tipperary.

A video circulated online shows a lone, partially-masked man grabbing a Pride flag off a participant in the parade before throwing the flag to the ground.

The man was loudly verbally abusive to participants, shouting: "fuck Pride!" and "fucking evil!".

In a statement, Garda HQ confirmed they were aware of the matter and were conducting an investigation.

“Gardaí are investigating all the circumstances, including any hate-related motivation, of an incident that occurred at Gladstone St in Clonmel, Co Tipperary, at approximately 12.30pm on Saturday, August 27,” it stated. 

"No arrests have been made at this stage of this ongoing investigation which is being conducted at Clonmel Garda Station.” 

Gardaí gathering evidence

It is understood that gardaí are gathering available footage, both from social media and local CCTV, in a bid to try to identify the male.

Gardaí are also examining footage to determine the full extent of what was said and done.

Gardaí will seek to gather statements from participants,

Although promised, there is, as of yet, no specific laws on hate crime in Ireland.

This means gardaí would investigate this incident as a public order offence (such as threatening, insulting, abusive behaviour) or possibly as incitement to hatred.

But while the offence would be recorded as one of these crimes on the Garda Pulse system, the suspected homophobic nature of the incident can be recorded in terms of motivation.

If charges are brought, gardaí would give evidence regarding motivation, and the judge could take this into account as an aggravating factor in terms of sentencing.

The video was recorded by Ireland Against Fascism and retweeted by gay activist Rory O'Neill aka Panti Bliss.

Clive Davis, chairman of Cork LGBT+ Pride Festival, says he looks forward to a day when everyone will feel pride in themselves and their community.

Co-chair of Ireland Pride Network and chairman of Cork LGBT+ Pride Festival Clive Davis said: “We are shocked and saddened by the attempt to disrupt Clonmel’s very first Pride parade by an angry and aggressive coward, who attempted to hide his identity behind a mask. Such thuggery has no place in our society."

Let's call this attack out for what it is, incitement to hatred — yet Ireland still has no hate crime laws to protect our community, or any other marginalised group. This was an act meant to frighten and terrorise our LGBT+ community.”

He said these attacks do not deter the community and only serve to spur people on.

“But our legislators need to stop procrastinating and introduce robust hate crime laws to Ireland — now," he said.

He questioned how a group of people celebrating their community in their hometown “in the summer sunshine” could have any effect on this individual, and what prompted him to take aim and attack them.

For those who question why there is still a need for Pride, this is it," he said. 

"There has been an insidious regression of the rights we have all fought a lifetime for in recent years, and we must all stand up and call out the bigots for what they are.

“On behalf of the Cork LGBT+ Pride Festival, and the Ireland Pride Network, I'd like to send our love and solidarity to Gerard [Sweetman] and all the team at Clonmel Pride.” 

The incident follows a number of homophobic attacks, including a serious assault on a young man travelling home on a bus in Dublin during which he was headbutted.