The Guardians of the Peace and courts of law have told a northside publican to remove his banner banning the Queen of the United Kingdom from the premises. Due to a fear of losing the venues late licence, the owner of The Players Lounge agreed to remove the banner.
Inspector Liam Dillon told the court that his objection, based on public safety concerns, would be withdrawn if the banner was removed by 1700 GMT.
BBC News NI have a good report over here.
[…] UPDATE HERE: “One will not be discriminated against” -from éirigi facebook. […]
Whatever about the banner, the central issue here is that the cops can make completely illegitimate demands on venues because they’ll otherwise object to their late licenses, or standard licenses being renewed. While in the 80s and 90s, we might have asked the Catholic church to stay the fuck out of our bedrooms – its rather clear that the cops are acting as moral guardians of what is permitted as acceptable late night or pub culture.
That’s just nuts. The Gardai have no right to remove that banner. It makes no difference what it says or who doesn’t agree with the loo laas, they still have the right to put it up. It’s far better all round when stupidity can be flagged because then it can be challenged.
This does not bode well for Herr Ratzingers visit. What if somebody puts up a banner on a pub that says “Chief Child Molester Banned”. Could that be removed on the basis that there are “public safety” concerns. How could a banner about a royal visit that most people will ignore possibly have been a threat to public safety? Were the ropes holding it up loose?
“completely illegitimate demands”
incitement to hatred, look it up
But they didnt use any legislation regarding incitement to hatred they are harassing him by other means in a manner that is worrying in terms of freedom of speech.
The ‘High Rent is Killing our Jobs’ on Grafton Street doesnt seem to pose a similar threat despite the greater ammount of pedestrians and larger sign.
Except it’s not incitement to hatred, no more than saying Gaddafi’s not welcome in your pub would be.
I’m glad I’m not the only one worried about the Garda behaviour here.
It reflects my concerns with their response to the cement mixer driven as far as the gate of Leinster House a few months ago: the first action was to remove the protest banners on it. That was hardly the first thing that needed to be done for either of the legitimate reasons the Gardaí had to get agitated about the cement mixer plonked at the gate: (a) it’s causing a traffic obstruction or (b) it’s a security risk.
First the came for the pub banners, and I said nothing….
Then they came for the blogs, and I said nothing…
Then they came for the websites and I said nothing….
Then they came for me… and I was delighted to meet all my friends again because I was the only one left….
and so often I’ve heard the cringe-inducing…”…. we’re a mature nation who seek mature relationships with our nearest neighbours, blah, blah blah”. Yeah, fooking right, like a businessman can’t object in a peaceful manner, slightly artistic & humourous and def putting his money where his mouth is. That’s mature
Then the mature & righteous get on Liveline and object altho they’ll be proven hypocrates when the Pope comes to Dublin. Later the worst police force in Europe in tandem with the pomous judiciary get in on the act and threaten the pub owners livihood and that of his employees. Very mature.
Mature nation my arse.
And nearest neighbour ..?!?! The dysfunctional neighbour who shat all over the Irish people and built a sectarian society for which were still suffering in both societal & political terms and economically. How’s about we develop better links with the French & Germans who have helped fund the country without strings attached and helped develop the country since we joined the EU. And remember the French were the original Republicans who had the correct answer for Royalist…. guillotene. French, Germans and USA… all republics like Ireland is SUPPOSED to be.
Happy Saint Patrick’s Day.
The original republican in Ireland was Oliver Cromwell. He defeated the Irish Crown forces.
The banner may only have gotten on to Liveline because Joe Duffy lives in Clontarf. Making them take the banner down just makes Ireland an immature country still engaging in censorship to create what a few politicians want to present as the national image.
oliver cromwell was the hitler of his time. Insane religious ethnic cleanser who has a statue outside of Westminister. He not worthy of much more commentary.
Clontarf, like Castleknock are trying to be southsiders so much that they’re “more southsider than the southsiders themselves”. Joe Duffy prob thinks than he’s holding on to his USI roots by living on the nort’side …….. he;s an RTE stereotypical twat who should be guillotinened for supporting the status quo.
It’s curious how reading a persons comments can convey the impression their bottom lip juts out far enough to cover the bottom half of their face.
Love it.
It will be interesting to see how the Garda deal with protests for Obama’s, the Queen’s, and the Pope’s visits (if the last mentioned has the nerve to appear).
I don’t think any God Bless the Pope banners were made to be taken down in 1932. Quite the reverse.
This mature society is so mature it’s rotten. That’s why we are going down the tubes. Remember?