Ireland's hosting of the EU presidency next year is likely to attract thousands of militant anti-globalisation protesters from around the world infiltrated by many intent on violent clashes with the gardaí, according to Mr George Maybury, general secretary of the Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors (AGSI).
Mr Maybury said, while gardaí had already begun gathering intelligence on likely protagonists and "public order training is under way", there are a number of lessons that needed to be learned from the three-day riots at the 2001 European Council of Ministers meeting in Gothenburg, Sweden.
On that occasion, around 12,000 protesters converged on the city causing more than €10 million worth of damage. Many protesters hurled paving stones at the police and mounted officers were dragged from their horses and beaten, prompting the police to fire rubber bullets at the crowds. Hundreds of arrests were made and scores of police and protesters were hospitalised.
The Swedish police force was seriously under prepared. Some officers reported getting as little as six hours sleep during the three-day period and many were injured because of pure exhaustion. More than 60 per cent of officers surveyed after the riots complained of faulty radios and other equipment, and said they had not been properly trained to handle such a significant public disturbance.
The Swedes had made a number of recommendations after an inquiry into the events on matters of preparedness for similar situations.
"These findings give much food for thought for the Government and gardaí management as we prepare for 2004. We have, however, found no reason to propose any amendments to existing provisions. What I am saying is that this is something we have to be aware of now and that we have to fully prepare for," Mr Maybury said on the second day of AGSI's annual conference in Galway.
He added that, such has been the frequency of major policing events at home so far this year, the Garda over-time budget is under considerable stress. The extra manpower needed to police the serious crime situation in Limerick, anti-war protests around the country and high-profile incidents at Shannon Airport had all added to the problem.
The matter would be exacerbated in that resources would have to be utilised in the months ahead to make all the necessary preparations for the EU presidency commencing next January.
"One can envisage very serious financial problems" linked to overtime before the end of the year.
Gardaí were facing increased crime and pressure on existing manpower against a backdrop of decreased resources. They were also operating in a period of change in Ireland, he said. The force needed to be conscious of racism and and it was incumbent of sergeants and inspectors to show leadership in this area.
The decline in respect for authority would continue to present "substantial new challenges". The issue of underage drinking required a inter-disciplinarian approach coupled with strong Government backing.
