Michael Noonan's hoodie ban

**finlma** · 09/11/2005, 2:02 PM

Michael Noonan has proposed banning hoodies from shopping centres to prevent shoplifting

This is one of the most ridiculous ideas I've ever heard. I'm a professional and I occasionally wear a hoodie. The Nanny State taking over.

Maybe we should just all undress going into shopping centres, leave our clothes in a little box and pick them back up on the way out. That will solve any shoplifting.

http://www.unison.ie/irish_independe...issue_id=13238

**Dawn_Run** · 09/11/2005, 2:06 PM

He's watching too much british news. The enforced that a few months back in Britain along with loitering in shopping centers.

Cant see it wash over here. Its the most rediculous solution to shoplifting i've ever heard. Hoodies are banned, but balaclavas are acceptable? Get a life Noonan...

**dahamsta** · 09/11/2005, 2:20 PM

Noonan's a failed, useless leader, no-one should be listening to him. Particularly when he's proposing populist policies that he didn't have the imagination to come up with himself.

**WeAreRovers** · 09/11/2005, 2:43 PM

Fine Gael with their fingers on the pulse as ever.

KOH

**Dodge** · 09/11/2005, 3:22 PM

I'm delibarately wearing hoodies more often thse days...

**dcfcsteve** · 09/11/2005, 3:24 PM

To be fair, there is a large degree of sense in what he is saying.

It's a fact that hoodies are often worn-up (sometimes combined with a baseball cap) by people in order to hide their identity from CCTV cameras. This can make it very difficult to press charges and/or take action on shop-lifting, as you can't identify the culprit. Those wearing the hoodies up know that - hence why they do it.

The insides of Shopping Centres aren't exactly cold places, so there is no genuine need to have a hoody up.

If you tried to walk into a bank with a motorcycle helmet on you would be prevented, and they have signs to say as much. It's a different level on the scale, but the principle and purpose is the same.

He should clarify that the problem is only with people who wear their hoodies 'up' in these places. I also have a few hooded-tops that I wear, and would have no problem being told to take my hood down inside a warm shopping centre if needs be.

A number of major shopping centres in England (beginning with Bluewater in Kent) brought in similar bans themselves. I'm a liberal, and I see no problem with it.

**trevy** · 09/11/2005, 3:25 PM

What a load of rubbish.I wear hoodies sometimes and am in my late 20's and not a 'skanger'.Maybe I should be banned from going into shopping centres too

.Is that the best they can come up with?

**WeAreRovers** · 09/11/2005, 3:28 PM

Originally Posted by Dodge

I'm delibarately wearing hoodies more often thse days...

I've taken to sewing hoods on to my Lacoste polos.

dcfcsteve - I'm your #1 fan on here but you've lost me on this one. Telling people what items of leisure wear they can and cannot wear in premises that actually sell the said items is yet another crock of authoritarian BS.

KOH

**dcfcsteve** · 09/11/2005, 3:30 PM

Originally Posted by trevy

What a load of rubbish.I wear hoodies sometimes and am in my late 20's and not a 'skanger'.Maybe I should be banned from going into shopping centres too

.Is that the best they can come up with?

That's why it should be clarified that any ban should NOT be on wearing hooded-tops full-stop - only a ban on wearing the hoods up inside such places.

As an aside, there's an OAP's group in a town in England who have started wearing hooded-tops when they're out and about. Their theory is that by doing so they are making the tops uncool, so kids in their area will stop wearing them. Classic bit of geriatric banter...

There was a great quote from one old dear saying how she really liked them, as they kept her lovely and warm....

**Tired&Emotional** · 09/11/2005, 3:31 PM

If that's the best FG can come up with, at what is probably the start of a pre election hustings, then good luck to them .....Noonan has to be the weakest opposition party leaders this country has ever had!

Yes he's taking this one from across the water....what will he come up with next.....Jamie Oliver to overhaul school dinners??!!!

**dcfcsteve** · 09/11/2005, 3:32 PM

Originally Posted by WeAreRovers

I've taken to sewing hoods on to my Lacoste polos.

dcfcsteve - I'm your #1 fan on here but you've lost me on this one. Telling people what items of leisure wear they can and cannot wear in premises that actually sell the said items is yet another crock of authoritarian BS.

KOH

The policy should be : fine to wear hoodies, but not with the hood up. Wear them if you like - just don't use them to hide your identity.

Just like a bank will say - no problem carrying your motorcyle helmet in with you, but you have to take it off before entering the premises so as not to hide your identity from the cameras.

Hey - I've got a fan...!

**pete** · 09/11/2005, 3:32 PM

Originally Posted by dcfcsteve

It's a fact that hoodies are often worn-up (sometimes combined with a baseball cap) by people in order to hide their identity from CCTV cameras. This can make it very difficult to press charges and/or take action on shop-lifting, as you can't identify the culprit.

Exactly, people from all walks of life may wear hoodies but IMO only skangers, junkies & shoplifters actually wear the hoods.

I own hoodies but can say i've never worn with the hood up as would be picked up as drug dealer in Dublin.

**finlma** · 09/11/2005, 3:36 PM

I've actually looked into this a bit more and it seems that the problem is lazy journalism on the part of the Indo (now there's a suprise).

The call is for a ban on actual hoods being worn inside and not on hoodies. The shop owner would be given discretion.

More details:
http://www.breakingnews.ie/2005/11/09/story229479.html

**WeAreRovers** · 09/11/2005, 3:39 PM

Originally Posted by dcfcsteve

Hey - I've got a fan...!

I've been outed - stop sniggering down the back - usually I agree with your postings on politics and social issues. So much so that it saves me the bother of posting myself.

The hoodies thing is pure daft though, one kid in Manchester has been banned from wearing hoodies for 5 years under an ASBO. And don't even get me started on ASBOs.

KOH

**Peadar** · 09/11/2005, 4:01 PM

Originally Posted by dcfcsteve

The policy should be : fine to wear hoodies, but not with the hood up. Wear them if you like - just don't use them to hide your identity.

I'm with you on this one Stevo.

**dahamsta** · 09/11/2005, 4:08 PM

Don't you guys get that this kind of idiocy is what led to the riots in Paris? Just because it's not religious doesn't mean it's not stupid.

Whatever happened to punishing people for committing crimes?

adam

**WeAreRovers** · 09/11/2005, 4:09 PM

Lads, 20% of the worlds cctv cameras are in the UK, Leamington Spa has more cameras than New York. Those are truly frightening statistics for the freedom-lovers among us.

I would encourage everyone to wear a hood and hide their identities. Big Brother has all the advantages, at least lets hang on to one for the little people.

http://www.spy.org.uk

KOH

**Peadar** · 09/11/2005, 4:12 PM

Originally Posted by dahamsta

Whatever happened to punishing people for committing crimes?

You have to catch them and convict them first.
Think about it Adam.

**WeAreRovers** · 09/11/2005, 4:13 PM

Originally Posted by Peadar

You have to catch them and convict them first.
Think about it Adam.

He has you there Adam.

Speaking of catching and convicting, Blair lost the 90 day detention vote today. Great news, his first ever defeat and a victory for common sense, liberty and justice.

KOH

**Dodge** · 09/11/2005, 4:16 PM

Originally Posted by WeAreRovers

Telling people what items of leisure wear they can and cannot wear in premises that actually sell the said items is yet another crock of authoritarian BS

you left out the final C there WaR...