Broadcaster Niall Boylan has slammed RTÉ for publishing the addresses of anti-lockdown protestors after they were arrested on Saturday and subsequently charged in court.
He claimed that while what RTÉ had done was perfectly legal, a” line of decency” had been crossed. The popular presenter said that “printing the names and addresses of two women aged 68 and 70 who were outside their 5k and others who attended a protest in Dublin” was tantamount to “naming and shaming pensioners”.
“I call on Gardai, Judges, politicians and Journalists reading this, have you got mothers, brothers sisters?” Mr Boylan wrote on Twitter.
“Would you arrest them for going for a walk or protesting for what they believe in? Where has all our decency gone when we are naming and shaming pensioners or indeed anybody for breaking the guidelines which already carry a fine,” he said.
“I ask RTÉ to remove this story and have some decency. I ask the Gardai, Judges, politicians and media to stop vilifying mostly normally law abiding citizens who are frustrated watching their lives waste away, Did any of these people assault, injure or cause harm to the Gardai and if so I accept what has happened but from what I read this wasn’t the case. Please please please can we be stop and be kind to each other in these very challenging times,” he said.
My stomach is turning today after I was sent a link to RTÉ news. PLEASE READ WHAT I SAY IN CONTEXT. A line of decency has been officially crossed. If you commit a crime and go to a public court the media CAN print your full details.
— Niall Boylan (@Niall_Boylan) March 21, 2021
He asked RTE to edit out the people’s names and addresses. #MediaBeKind
PS. I will not be posting a link to the story on RTÉ and I implore everybody to request that they remove it or at least edit out the people’s names and addresses. #MediaBeKind
— Niall Boylan (@Niall_Boylan) March 21, 2021
Some who responded on Twitter did not agree, arguing “that’s rubbish. We conduct criminal cases in public in this country. Anyone charged will have their names published, end of story.”
It’s not a line of decency. That’s rubbish. We conduct criminal cases in public in this country. Anyone charged will have their names published end of story. Tough shit on them.
— Brian Flynn (@bp_flynn) March 21, 2021
Others pointed to what they saw as the hypocrisy of some of the media.
https://twitter.com/TheDisquieted/status/1373648467566936068
It was also suggested that publishing the information would be used against those being charged with breaking lockdown restrictions. “They gave the names, ages, addresses and occupations of other anti-lockdown protesters a few weeks back. I believe a dentist and an engineer or plumber were among that group. Then you had calls from certain types for the individuals to be sacked,” wrote one commentator.
It isn’t the first time Niall. They gave the names, ages, addresses and occupations of other anti-lockdown protesters a few weeks back. I believe a dentist and an engineer or plumber were among that group. Then you had calls from certain types for the individuals to be sacked.
— Kill Me Now ✝️ (@ih8evrybdy) March 21, 2021
Free speech advocates said that it was “unnerving” that “state-owned media” were “naming and shaming people protesting state imposed restrictions on freedom.”
https://twitter.com/BryanOS/status/1373615316027211783