A woman who says she was severely assaulted by gardaí during the Reclaim the Streets march in Dublin city centre four years ago and also ordered to strip naked in a Garda station has brought a High Court claim for damages.
Annette Ryan (39), a mother of one, Rathgar Avenue, Dublin, has sued the Garda Commissioner, and the Attorney General over the alleged assault on May 6th, 2002.
She claims a garda grabbed her by the throat, knocked her to the ground and then knelt on top of her. She was put face down on the ground and handcuffed before being put in a van and brought to Pearse Street Garda station, she says.
As a result of the alleged assault, she says she had nine bruises on her left arm, five bruises on her right arm, two bruises on her left lower leg and was in considerable pain fterwards. It is further claimed that Ms Ryan was wrongfully orcibly arrested and charged with offences under the Public Order Act. The charges should not have been brought and were dropped after a year, the jury was told.
Opening the case yesterday before Ms Justice Elizabeth Dunne and a jury, Michael O'Higgins SC, said the Reclaim the Streets event was a street party and an attempt to restore a sense of community. It was a spontaneous event spread by word of mouth with no advance warning given to the authorities.
On May 6th, 2002, people had met at Burgh Quay in Dublin city centre. A car with smoke coming out of it was pushed along the street, there were jugglers and street theatre and people in olourful costumes. The gardaí were not aware of what was appening. "The gardaí did not get it and did not get the street party element," counsel said. A large number of gardaí met the rotesters, there was a onfrontation, and batons were drawn, he said.
Ms Ryan said the idea behind the event was to take the space in the city back so people can enjoy themselves. She went to enjoy the music and arrived around 2.30pm.
She saw a car with an orange smokebomb being pushed up Burgh Quay in a "theatrical gesture. I think the police thought a car was on fire. I felt the police were getting really aggressive but then it was defused," she said.
At around 6pm, people were euphoric and the group moved towards Dame Street, she said. When she caught up with her friends there, she could see gardaí pushing people off the street. Everybody was shouting "peaceful protest". She saw one garda being pulled back by a olleague.
"People were being dragged by the collar. It was a terrifying affair. I was saying to people 'get out of here , it is going to turn ugly'," she said.
Ms Ryan went to look for her friends. She found them near the Central Bank in Dame Street.
"I had a can of beer in my hand and was chatting. From behind me, a woman grabbed the can," she said. A few seconds later, she felt an arm around her neck and was dragged to the ground.
A garda knelt on her. "I was face down. They did not say a word to me. I was handcuffed and brought to the police van and pushed in," she said.
At Pearse Street Garda station, Ms Ryan said she was bought into a room where a female garda wearing white rubber gloves told her she was going to be strip-searched.
"It was very embarrassing. I had to take all my clothes off, including my bra and panties."
Asked by counsel if she was sure she was standing in a room without a single garment on, Ms Ryan said: "I am positive.
"I was defending my embarrassment by joking. I was told to put my clothes back on and I was put in a cell.
"You feel a complete sense of helplessness. I did not know why I was there. I was not asked if I wanted to make a phone call."
She told Mr O'Higgins: " I had a few drinks on me" but denied she was either drunk or disorderly.
Ms Ryan said she was very upset by what happened.
"I want justice, I was wrongfully arrested, I was bruised and so on." The case continues today.