Freedom of Speech revoked by Gardai in Cardiff

**citizenerased** · 20/11/2007, 12:18 PM

From www.YBIG.IE 20/11/07

An Irish fan (name withheld) was held for questioning by two plain-clothes Gardai after the Wales versus Ireland game on Saturday in the Millennium Stadium. The Irish fan brought a banner with ‘Delaney you're a Muppet’ to the Millennium Stadium and hung it out at half time. A Cardiff steward was forced to take the banner down and then informed the Irish fan he could collect the banner after the game. When the fan went to collect it he was in for a surprise as two detectives were waiting to interrogate him.

The shocked fan said: “Yeah it's hard to believe but it's true. Two undercover Gardai interrogated me in a small room in the stadium after the game in relation to my banner. Freedom of speech? Who would have thought you'd get questioned by Irish Gardai in Cardiff over a poxy banner?

The disgusted Irish fan, aware that the detectives had no jurisdiction or authority in Wales, refused to give his name when quizzed about it.
He added: “They tried to take my name about three times in five minutes but I refused - they had no right and they knew it. The Two detectives also told me as we were leaving to pretend ‘that the whole conversation never occurred’ and that they'd turn a blind eye if they ever seen me in Croker, fantastic - I wont have to go to the brazil game.”

This raises serious questions. What are two detectives doing questioning fans in a foreign country? Who authorised it? The banner could hardly be described as highly offensive so whatever happened to a right to a peaceful protest? Did detectives question the Sun editor when they called Delaney a muppet and printed it on the front of 130,000 newspapers?

**Sligo Hornet** · 20/11/2007, 12:28 PM

This is disgraceful and embarrassing for Ireland!

**Dodge** · 20/11/2007, 12:53 PM

Originally Posted by Sligo Hornet

This is disgraceful and embarrassing for Ireland!

its not embaressing for Ireland as I'd guess no more than 20 welsh blokes know about it outside of the country

Maybe the Gardai were acting on behalf of the Jim Henson Company for the slanderous allegations comparing his creations to the head of the FAI

**John83** · 20/11/2007, 1:23 PM

The headline is misleading (and misspelled).

However, I doubt you'll find anyone to condone this. The practice of suppressing inoffensive but dissenting banners at games seems to have entered the FAI's standard operating procedure. It should be opposed at every turn.

**Superhoops** · 20/11/2007, 5:11 PM

Originally Posted by John83

The headline is misleading (and misspelled).

However, I doubt you'll find anyone to condone this. The practice of suppressing inoffensive but dissenting banners at games seems to have entered the FAI's standard operating procedure. It should be opposed at every turn.

Sounds like another urban myth to me!

**John83** · 20/11/2007, 5:30 PM

Originally Posted by Superhoops

Sounds like another urban myth to me!

Get a haircut, John.

**Cowboy** · 20/11/2007, 5:35 PM

Why is the guy not suing for illegal detention?

**citizenerased** · 20/11/2007, 6:54 PM

ha..yeah good one,, why would he bother his backside in fairness

**Mento** · 20/11/2007, 9:14 PM

I can confirm it aint an urban myth

**pineapple stu** · 20/11/2007, 9:20 PM

Originally Posted by Superhoops

Sounds like another urban myth to me!

Have you any basis for this? Or are you just supposin' again?

**supasparx** · 20/11/2007, 9:39 PM

Before the Cyprus away game last year, I got talking to 2 Gardai officers in the stadium.
They told me that they were there as part of a FIFA initiative stating that all travelling countries have 3 'liason officers' in attendance to assist the local authorities with any supporter related matters.
They also told me that basically they got a free trip to all the games, and it was considered a very privilaged posting.
I would imagine that under these circumstances they actually do have some rights to detain and question travelling supporters from their own country.
Having said all this I find it absolutely pathetic the reason this guy was brought in for questioning.

**OneRedArmy** · 20/11/2007, 10:18 PM

The guards have no rights whatsoever outside the jurisdiction, but then again rights rarely impacts how your average meathead from Templemore undertakes their role.

Illegal detention, acting as Delaney's own private Pinkerton guards, supression of free speech, thats what you get when you combine two of the state's institutions who primary attributes seem to be breathtaking arrogance and gross incompetence.

The FAI and the Gardai, a match made in heaven.......

**co. down green** · 20/11/2007, 11:43 PM

Managed to get a pic of banner before it was removed.

Delaney you're a muppet

**co. down green** · 20/11/2007, 11:45 PM

Few more pics here

**Sligo Hornet** · 21/11/2007, 11:28 AM

Originally Posted by co. down green

Few more pics here

Nice to see my flag made an appearance in your very good collection!

**Cowboy** · 21/11/2007, 11:49 AM

Originally Posted by citizenerased

ha..yeah good one,, why would he bother his backside in fairness

a pile of cash for starters

**Cowboy** · 21/11/2007, 11:52 AM

Originally Posted by supasparx

I would imagine that under these circumstances they actually do have some rights to detain and question travelling supporters from their own country.

They have no rights whatsoever to detain anybody, once they leave Ireland they are just plain citizens unless they are on UN duty.

**shaneker** · 21/11/2007, 3:44 PM

This strikes me as very sinister, especially the fact that they seemed eager to get his name out of him. Would his name have then been fed back to the FAI and 'blacklisted' as far as tickets etc are concerned? And what if this had happened in Ireland where the Gardai do have jurisdiction?

Not happy about this one bit. Can't recall any coverage of any other country doing it for such an inoffensive statement.

Delaney. What a muppet.

**Cowboy** · 21/11/2007, 3:50 PM

Indeed it is sinister and a formal complaint should be made by the guy if what has been reported actually happened.

**Superhoops** · 21/11/2007, 4:27 PM

Originally Posted by pineapple stu

Have you any basis for this? Or are you just supposin' again?

No basis at all.

However, unless I have missed something over the last 2 days, I would have thought this story would have been exactly the type of thing the red tops would have majored on, as would Tony Donoghue of RTE.

If it did happen, it deserves full exposure as it would involved not just the FAI and the Gardai but also the FAW and/or the Millenium Stadium authorities and South Wales Police.