Gardaí call for stronger measures to stop 'unpatriotic' offenders 'weaponizing Covid-19'

One man was arrested in Dublin last night for suspected drink-driving, and during his arrest “threatened gardaí that he had coronavirus and was in the Romanian mafia”.

Another case in Cork city on Sunday saw a 19-year-old man charged in connection with allegedly spitting at a member of the gardaí in the face having told him he had coronavirus.

Mr Mulligan said: “Movement restrictions must be enforced. Gardaí would prefer not to instruct people and inquire into their business in this way but it is absolutely necessary.

“At a time when the whole country is putting their shoulder to the wheel to save lives, it is essential that everyone pushes in the same direction.

Anything that undermines this national effort is nothing other than unpatriotic.

“We all have a duty to save lives by maintaining social distance and gardaí have a job of work to ensure this happens. Our members should not be deliberately endangered for carrying out their duty in protecting the public from this virus."

At the moment, gardaí can deal with this through Public Order legislation, but Mr Mulligan is calling for further measures to counter it.

He said: "We are calling for a specific Garda Síochána policy to always oppose bail in cases where someone is charged with offences connected to the weaponization of Covid-19.

“The GRA is engaging with Garda management on these matters and have reiterated to them that this behaviour shows the need for greater availability of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), including face masks.

“A cast-iron protocol adopted in every Garda station and specialist unit in the country for the deployment of PPE is also required.

“Currently, members are being sent on duties that involve close contact with the public without being issued face masks."

The GRA will meet the Department of Justice tomorrow to discuss how to implement new regulations around dispersing groups of people, enforcing self-isolation orders and other matters brought in under new emergency legislation signed into law two weeks ago.

The latest restrictions in operation since Friday, March 27 mandate that everyone should stay at home, only leaving to:

• Shop for essential food and household goods;
• Attend medical appointments, collect medicine or other health products;
• Care for children, older people or other vulnerable people - this excludes social family visits;
• Exercise outdoors - within 2kms of your home and only with members of your own household, keeping 2 metres distance between you and other people
• Travel to work if you provide an essential service - be sure to practice social distancing

Mr Mulligan said: “We will seek clarity for our members on the legal operation of the regulations but also that gardaí be recognised as a special category of frontline public service requiring a special priority for the allocation of national stocks of protective equipment.”