Gemma O’Doherty has been charged with resisting arrest in addition to two other charges she’s facing as a result of an incident near Bray in August. The former journalist and far-right activist was in Bray District Court today where authorities disclosed the third charge against her.
Resisting
O’Doherty was arrested while livestreaming from a footbridge over the N11 in Kilmacanogue on 23 August. She’d placed a number of banners on the side of the footbridge in relation to the COVID lockdown. Members of the public alerted gardaí to the incident who then responded.
After gardaí removed the banners a garda asked O’Doherty for her name and address. She refused to comply. And, as a result, O’Doherty was arrested under the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994. She was briefly held in Bray garda station.
O’Doherty, who was released on bail, last appeared in court in November in relation to her arrest.
She is currently charged with intending to breach the peace, refusing to provide her name and address to gardaí, and with resisting arrest. If convicted O’Doherty could be fined and sentenced to a number of months in prison.
During the livestream of her arrest O’Doherty could be heard calling the gardaí “traitors”. She also claimed the garda attempting to carry out the arrest was “assaulting” her.
The case is due to be heard again on 25 January.
Anti-mask
Supporters of the far-right figurehead were also gathered in Bray for her court date. A large number of gardaí were present as a result.
The crowd also staged a protest outside the constituency office of minister for health Stephen Donnelly. Members of the crowd said they’re opposed to “mandatory vaccinations”. A large banner which claimed that masks spread disease was also displayed by the protestors.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), masks are vital in helping to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
O’Doherty is currently facing a legal bill of roughly €50,000 because of a legal challenge she initiated and lost against the government’s lockdown legislation earlier this year.
Featured image via Screenshot
