Anti-war protesters are to gather outside a weapons conference in Dublin today at which senior members of the Garda are scheduled to speak.
The Jane's Less Lethal Weapons 2004 Conference, being held at the Berkeley Court Hotel today and tomorrow, has been described as "grotesque" by the campaigners and by a number of politicians opposing it.
The organiser, Jane's Information Group, insists there will be no weapons at the event and that it will hear discussion of non-lethal weapons in all their contexts. Jane's says it is also renowned for its independence in commentary on all defence issues and that comment in the Irish media on the event has been distorted.
Amnesty International will have speakers at the conference, although the body has said it does not support the event.
The Irish Anti-War Movement, the Peace and Neutrality Alliance, the Irish Council for Civil Liberties, the Labour Party, the Green Party, Sinn Féin, the Socialist Party, the Socialist Workers' Party, AfrI and other groups are supporting this evening's protest.
Mr Richard Boyd Barrett, chairman of the Irish Anti-War Movement and one of the protest organisers, said: "These weapons are highly dangerous and often very lethal. Pepper spray, plastic bullets and "beanbag" rounds have killed literally hundreds of people in recent years, particularly in the US where many of these weapons are developed and used widely.
"These weapons are developed overwhelming for use against protests and demonstrations. A report done for the EU Parliament recently confirmed that these weapons are a method of "political control" and can represent a serious threat to civil liberties and human rights.
"It should be of deep concern to anyone who wants to defend civil liberties and the right to peaceful protest that this conference is taking place here in Dublin and being attended by high ranking members of the gardaí," he said.
Socialist Party TD Mr Joe Higgins said last week the "arms bazaar" was "a grotesque manifestation of how the trade in arms is just one more example of international big business putting the lust for super-profits before any other consideration".
The Green Party said it was "gravely concerned" at the staging of the conference and "dismayed" that members of the Garda would attend.
Green Party chairman Mr John Gormley said it was regrettable that the Garda, which had "such a fine record as a non-armed force" was "increasingly investing in equipment which will be used to suppress political dissent".
Assistant Garda Commissioner Joe Egan, Inspector John Gantley and Detective Superintendent Patrick Hogan are scheduled to speak at the event this morning.
Among the issues they were to discuss were the background to the Garda Less Lethal Weapons programme and the recommendations of a working group on the use of "bean bag" weapons by the force.
Bean bags are considered by some police forces to be effective in riot situations without the same potential dangers as plastic bullets. They are filled with lead shot and flatten on contact with their target.
The Garda did not respond to recent questions from ireland.comon the force's participation in the conference and on any planned introduction of less lethal weapons.