Locals protested outside Belmullet Garda station, Co Mayo last weekend to demand the immediate suspension of gardaí who inadvertently recorded themselves talking about raping a woman in their custody.
Campaign group Shell to Sea claims 100 people joined the protest, which also called for a independent inquiry into policing of the controversial Corrib gas field project.
Statements of support were read out by local women on behalf of the National Women’s Council Ireland, Global Women’s Strike and Sinn Féin Councillor Thérèse Ruane.
In a statement, Susan McKay, director of the National Women’s Council Ireland, said: “It is appalling to realise that there are gardaí whose attitude is such that they think it appropriate to joke about raping women.”
Cllr Ruane’s statement backed Shell to Sea’s call for the immediate suspension of the gardaí in question, pending investigation.
She also called for the appointment of human rights observors to monitor the policing of the Corrib gas project, and for an independent inquiry into the conduct of both gardaí and private security firm IRMS in relation to the project.
Shell to Sea says it called the protest “in support of all women and men who have been harassed, threatened and intimidated by gardaí, especially in light of the recently documented comments about deportation and rape by gardaí who had just arrested two female Shell to Sea campaigners.”
The group claims that this is not the first example of Garda intimidation and threats against campaigners in the area, some of which were documented in a report from Front Line Defenders last year.
Local resident and Shell to Sea spokesperson Maura Harrington said: “Despite this report and the 120 citizen complaints to the Garda Ombudsman, there has been no change in the policing of the project.”
A further protest will take place at 5pm on Wednesday 13 April at Market Square in Castlebar.
