INTRODUCTION of legislation to make it illegal to cover an individual’s face when preparing to commit an act of violence has been requested by a Clare councillor.
Cllr. Tom O’Callaghan (FF) was undoubtedly disgusted by the events that transpired in Dublin in November, when riots broke out in the nation’s capital following the stabbing of a woman and three children.
Hence he filed a motion at a meeting of Clare County Council which called on the Government “to introduce legislation making it an offence to conceal one’s face with the intent of committing a crime”.
An anti-immigration rally that sparked that day as a male immigrant stabbed three little children and caretaker outside a primary school, seriously wounding a five-year-old girl, kicked off the violence.
“We see the woman and kids in Dublin, they were stabbed and the little girl was critically injured”, Cllr. O’Callaghan reminded his colleagues.
He continued, “But what actually happened after that was nothing more than thuggery at the highest level. the intent to commit a crime whilst covering their own face is thuggery. The country need to prevent these things from happening. Ultimately there would no point having CCTV camera’s around, if you can’t identify these people committing crimes, and one there’s one thing for certain, people’s lives are at risk”.
Support for the call was voiced by Cllr PJ Kelly (FF), Cllr Joe Killeen (FF) and Cllr Johnny Flynn (FG). Cllr Kelly stated, “what we saw in Dublin in November was a disgrace, I think anyone who covers their face and having intent to commit a crime should be punished”.
Action is required urgently, Cllr Killeen believed. “The person who dropped the bin on fire into the squad car is another person who deserves a punishment, something seriously needs to be done before it gets worse”.
“Legislation needs to be put in place, we can’t allow this behaviour to grow in this country,” O’Callaghan concluded.
