Around 40 Gardaí from the Tipperary Division have had their plans to take part in the St Patrick’s Day Parade in New York dashed.
It appears incidents which occurred at last year’s event has led to no invitation being issued to Gardaí this year.
Officers from the many stations in Tipp along with colleagues from across the country have regularly made the trip to the US for the March 17th celebrations.
They travel at their own expense with many members of the force in Tipperary having already paid for their flights for this year’s trip.
The officers planning to travel to the US need to have permission from the Assistant Commissioner at the Garda National Crime & Security Intelligence Service to take their uniform out of the jurisdiction.
Tipp FM News has learned that local Gardaí have been informed that this permission has now been rescinded – it appears the organising committee of the New York parade had not issued an official invitation to An Garda Siochana to participate in this year’s event.
It’s understood the organisers had received complaints from marching groups and parade volunteers last year in relation to what is described as the ‘unprofessional and disruptive’ behaviour of several members of the Garda Siochana – who were wearing uniforms – that attempted to disrupt parade operations.
