Escalation in Violence & Sexual Assault Against Peaceful Protestors

On April 4, 2025, Saoirse Don Phalestíne protestors blocked the entrance to the Belgian

Embassy. SDP social media made a statement that activists were protesting at the embassy to protest Ireland entering NATO when NATO is complicit in a genocide, and that the Belgian Embassy is the point of contact for NATO in Ireland. Recordings of the protest posted on SDP social media documents the Gardaí arresting eight peaceful protestors after pepper spraying them without provocation from the protestors. The protestors responded without violence. The eight arrested protestors were given cautions and charges. The Gardaí also broke the ankle of a protestor after these escalations with photographs depicting a Gardaí twisting a protestor’s foot behind his back and an image of the inflicted injury. SDP social media made the statement, “Six activists who were pepper sprayed, attacked and sexually assaulted being held in Irishtown Garda Station and two in Pearse Garda Station.”

These events follow a disturbing trend in Gardaí-initiated escalation and of Gardaí brutality. On March 30, 2025 Mothers Against Genocide held an overnight vigil for murdered Palestinian children. MAG made arrangements with the authorities to remain in front of the Daíl until 0730 on March 31, but the Gardaí escalated with violence and shortly before 0900. They arrested fourteen protestors after escalating, with footage on social media documenting the Gardaí dragging peaceful protestors away. The Gardaí strip searched the women and conducted a cavity search on a woman in attendance. The Gardaí charged 12 protestors and gave Cautions to two. MAG made the statements, “Unnecessary use of force was used. Some of the women were strip searched. One woman was subjected to a cavity search,” and “We ask that our Government reflect on the use of Gardaí as a force of political oppression, enact the Occupied Territories Bill and uphold international law.”

Sources from the Belgium protest also described a tendency for the Gardaí to grope fem

presenting arrestees and escalate against women in particular. A source also described

conditions including the Gardaí not allowing arrestees to change tampons while in custody,

which presents inhumane conditions under the best circumstances and serious health concerns, including toxic shock, under long periods of detainment. The source described periods of detainment of up to eight hours. Other egregious forms of abuse were indicated, but have not been openly disclosed pending possible investigation. The Gardaí made a statement denying any such conduct of sexual assault and harassment, against the consistent reports from activists and orgs.

A total of 23 peaceful protestors have been arrested on the week of March 31, and the brutality seems to be the point. These trends are likely to continue and to get worse. They do not own the streets, they merely occupy them. We must not surrender the streets and we must be heard. This also indicates a fear of the people. We have the numbers and the power. We just need to keep using it and continue to adapt with consensus.

IWW Ireland Branch