Gardaí fear right-wing threats to politicians’ safety

Irish security services have concerns for the physical safety of politicians from figures on the far right, and believe the country is entering a “very tricky” period with the upcoming local and European Parliament elections.

It is understood that a number of investigation files have been submitted to the Director of Public Prosecutions on threats from far-right individuals to politicians, including Government leaders and ministers.

The Special Detective Unit, the operational arm of the Garda Security & Intelligence Service, has other “active investigations” into threats to public figures from right-wing political extremists.

While almost all files sent to the DPP relate to offences under the Harassment, Harmful Communications and Related Offences Act 2020, other investigations could seek charges under terrorism laws — but only if the behaviour “reaches the threshold” necessary.

The developments come as new Garda figures on hate crime, due to be published in the coming days, are expected to show a significant increase in reported incidents.

John Morrison, assistant professor in criminology at Maynooth University: ‘As we come closer to the local and European elections it is likely that we will see continued disruption from the far right.’  Picture: Maynooth University

John Morrison, assistant professor in criminology at Maynooth University: ‘As we come closer to the local and European elections it is likely that we will see continued disruption from the far right.’  Picture: Maynooth University

The Irish Examiner understands that the formal threat assessment of an attack on politicians has not increased despite the widespread threats on social media accounts, including Telegram, X, and YouTube.

These involve multiple threats from well-known far-right figures to “kill” or “shatter the faces of” politicians, both named and in general, or to “execute them on the street” and to “take the war to them and their families”.

Separately, political extremists, including candidates for far-right parties in the upcoming elections, openly talk of being “at war” with the State, including warnings that a “bloodbath is coming”.

After gardaí were attacked at Newtownmountkennedy last Thursday week, Tánaiste Micheál Martin warned of the “growing militancy” of the far right, and said they posed a threat to the security of the State.

The violence followed intimidation outside the home of Children’s Minister Roderic O’Gorman — a long-time target of the far right — and before a brief protest by the same far-right group outside the home of Taoiseach Simon Harris.

Justice Minister Helen McEntee and her family have been affected by a number of recent hoax bomb threats, and People Before Profit TD Paul Murphy — another hate figure of the far right — discovered graffiti on a wall near his house saying “Paul Murphy RIP”.

The security services still rate the threat to politicians as “moderate” — the second-lowest of five threat levels.

However, security officials stress the assessment is conducted partly “in the dark” as some components for a comprehensive assessment are missing.

This is because, unlike a threat assessment on an organised, structured organisation, the far right in Ireland is fragmented, with a range of small political parties as well as various high-profile agitators and a larger number of active supporters.

Nevertheless, security officials do have “some concerns” for the safety of politicians and believe the country is entering a “very tricky” environment and a “critical” period for Irish democracy.

Within the next 18 months there are local, European, national, and presidential elections.

Security sources said a concern is the online radicalisation of individuals who are “in the circle” of high-profile agitators or follows their accounts, who could decide to commit violence.

Some sources stress that, given the often spontaneous and unplanned nature of far-right activities, such violence could suddenly flare up during a row.

An expert on terrorism, John Morrison, assistant professor in criminology at Maynooth University, said: “As we come closer to the local and European elections it is likely that we will see continued disruption from the far right. As with all threats of this nature, there is the potential for this to escalate in terms of severity.”

But he added: “However, it is important to emphasise that this is a small group of individuals and disparate groups who have to date not shown the intention and/or capability for this to escalate in terms of severity.”

The Offences Against the State Act 1939 and the Terrorist Offences Act 2005 are potential options for gardaí, but behaviour would have to reach the necessary “threshold” of severity.

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