‘It’s not just the responsibility of An Garda Siochana to challenge such misinformation but also broader society, as well as media’
Tents being removed from the Grand Canal, Dublin, on Thursday. Photo: Collins
Gardai in Dublin have “categorically” rejected claims on social media they are “escorting” children past tented encampments along the Grand Canal.
The force posted a message on their ‘X’ account after video footage appeared on Facebook, TikTok and on ‘X’ showing garda officers with school children walking along a street in Dublin.
One person posted alongside the footage: “Young school children in Dublin requiring a garda escort past shanty tent towns. They expect us to deny what our eyes see before us every day.”
Another posted on TikTok: “Wow. Ireland is now so incredibly dangerous for children they have Garda escorts going to and from school because of the spate of children abducted by refugees lately.
“Incredibly sad to see this. I remember as a child walking school willy nilly without a care in the world.”
However, gardai wrote that they “categorically reject any assertion” that gardaí are “actively escorting or have recently escorted, school children past a tented encampment along the Grand Canal, Dublin”.
“An Garda Síochána is acutely aware of the continued proliferation of disinformation and fake news in circulation, particularly in relation to international protection applicants,” gardai posted.
“It’s not just the responsibility of An Garda Síochána to challenge such misinformation but also broader society, as well as media.”
Gardaí then went on to explain that their Community Policing Unit in Pearse Street regularly engages with local schools, “and will continue to assist with their activities”.
“In this instance we walked with almost 100 young pupils on a school trip across the city as there were a lot of major junctions and crossings on the route.
“Gardaí assisted by making sure that the young children did not get separated and that they were safe, given the quick change in lights at some of the crossings.
“This is commonly undertaken with those working in this Community Policing Unit to provide assistance to a number of schools in the area in a similar way and they will continue to do so.”
The number of tents along a section of the Grand Canal in Dublin rose to nearly 90 today just a week after a similar camp was dismantled.
The new camp started to grow late last week between the Baggot Street and Leeson Street bridges on the city-side of the canal.
The tents are positioned side by side and are now on both sides of the tow-path, with some pitched on the slope between the path and the canal itself.
