Lyrics: Retired American singer and songwriter Gretchen Peters. Vocals: Powerful voice of American country/pop singer and songwriter Martina Mariea McBride.
Independence Day.
Well, she seemed all right by dawn’s early light, Though she looked a little worried and weak. She tried to pretend he wasn’t drinkin’ again, But daddy left the proof on her cheek, I was only eight years old that summer, And I always seemed to be in the way, So I took myself down to the fair in town, On Independence Day. Well, word gets around in a small, small town, They said he was a dangerous man, But mama was proud and she stood her ground, She knew she was on the losin’ end. Some folks whispered, some folks talked, But everybody looked the other way, And when time ran out there was no one about, On Independence Day. Let freedom ring, let the white dove sing, Let the whole world know that today, Is a day of reckoning. Let the weak be strong, let the right be wrong, Roll the stone away, let the guilty pay, It’s Independence Day. Well, she lit up the sky that fourth of July, By the time that the firemen come. They just put out the flames, And took down some names, And send me to the county home. Now I ain’t sayin’ it’s right or it’s wrong, But maybe it’s the only way. Talk about your revolution, It’s Independence Day. Let freedom ring, let the white dove sing, Let the whole world know that today, Is a day of reckoning. Let the weak be strong, let the right be wrong, Roll the stone away, let the guilty pay, It’s Independence Day. Roll the stone away, It’s Independence Day.
Criminal Justice (Hate Offences) Act 2024 increases prison sentences for certain crimes motivated by hatred.
Law will protect people targeted because of certain characteristics including race, colour, sexual orientation, gender, and disability.
An order has been signed, which will come into force today (Tuesday 31 December), under the Criminal Justice (Hate Offences) Act 2024, which increases prison sentences for certain crimes motivated by hatred.
This new legislation provides for crimes, which are proven to be motivated by hatred, or where hatred is fully demonstrated. For example, the legislation ensures that assault aggravated by hatred, or damage to property aggravated by hatred, will attract higher prison sentences. Where hatred is not proven, a person can still be charged with assault or damage to property.
This legislation will protect people targeted because of certain identity characteristics namely – race; colour; nationality; religion; national or ethnic origin; descent; disability; gender; sex characteristics and sexual orientation. The Act creates new, aggravated forms of certain existing offences – i.e. hate crimes – where they are aggravated by hatred of one or more of these protected characteristics.
Ireland has faced criticism from the Council of Europe and other International Human Rights bodies, which had, until now, highlighted that there was no specific or statutory provision for hate-aggravated offences in Ireland.
Incitement to hatred and hate speech are criminalised separately under the Prohibition of Incitement to Hatred Act 1989, which continues to remain in force.
Over 8,000 arrests and 20,000 charges and summons issued in first year of Operation Táirge which tackles organised retail crime
Progress made by Gardaí under Operation Táirge, has resulted in a significant crackdown on retail crime in its first year. Over 8,000 people have been arrested and over 20,000 charges and summons issued over the last 12 months.
Launched in December 2023, Operation Táirge is An Garda Síochána’s national operation targeting organised retail crime. Organised retail crime typically refers to situations where a number of people are acting together. These people target retailer outlets to steal significant quantities of goods to resell back into the retail supply chain through the black market.
Organised retail crime can also involve refund fraud with the purpose of making a financial or material benefit. It is usually a co-ordinated and well-organised crime carried out by people who recruit others to commit theft from retailers.
Operation Táirge plays a key role in ensuring retailers and their staff are protected from organised crime and the harm that it can do to their businesses.
A total of 8,460 Arrests and 20,052 charges or summons were recorded in association with Operation Táirge between 1st December 2023 and 30th November 2024.
The Operation is part of An Garda Síochána’s Crime Prevention and Reduction Strategy which aims to reduce the detrimental impact retail crime and criminals can have on retail businesses, and also seeks to support operational activity aimed at detecting and preventing retail theft.
Notable successes under Operation Táirge include:
On 24th November Gardaí in DMR North arrested a man in his 50s as part of ongoing investigations into recent thefts from retail stores across North Dublin. The man was taken to a Garda station in North Dublin and subsequently charged with 46 counts of theft and one count of assaulting a retail worker.
On 20 November Gardaí attached to the Coolock and Raheny districts arrested and charged 21 people as part of ongoing investigations under Operation Thor and Operation Táirge, targeting criminal activity with particular emphasis on robbery, burglary and theft in the North East Dublin Metropolitan Region areas of Coolock and Raheny.
The ongoing positive impact of ‘Operation Thor’ on combatting residential burglaries welcomed by communities.
Operation Thor is An Garda Síochána’s national strategy targeting organised crime groups involved in burglaries and associated criminal activity.
The winter phase of Operation Thor commenced on 1 October 2024 and will run until the end of March 2025.
A reduction of approximately 75% in residential burglaries has been recorded between 2016 and 2023.
Operation Thor, was commenced by An Garda Síochána in 2015, and is designed to tackle an anticipated increase in the number of burglaries and associated criminal activity that usually occur during winter months, by undertaking targeted enforcement and preventative activity. This initiative has successfully reduced the rate of winter burglaries, leading to a significant decline in property-related crime since its introduction.
Between January 1st 2024 and December 11th 2024, some 2,058 arrests and 4,663 charges and summons were recorded in association with Operation Thor.
Operation Thor tackles burglary and actively targets organised crime gangs and repeat offenders through co-ordinated crime prevention and enforcement activity, based on intelligence and the latest burglary trends.
Since Operation Thor was established a reduction of approximately 75% in residential burglaries has been recorded between 2016 and 2023.
Last month, a comprehensive policing operation under Operation Thor, resulted in 23 arrests. These individuals were charged with a total of 100 offences including offences for burglary, theft, unauthorised taking of a vehicle and possession of stolen property. Just recently, three people were arrested as part of an intelligence-led operation targeting an organised criminal group suspected of committing burglaries at commercial properties in Galway, Mayo, Cork, Kildare and Wexford.
The Garda crime prevention advice under Operation Thor, which is highlighted through public information campaigns and by Garda Prevention Officers includes the ‘Lock up, Light up’ campaign.
An Garda Síochána also have a free property recording app. Should any items be stolen, the app provides a way of reporting this to An Garda Síochána and gives the public the option to share information with Gardaí for this purpose.
The Department of Justice also provides funding to Muintir na Tíre to cover the costs incurred by community groups in administering the Text Alert Scheme.
Text Alert enables communities to set up a group to receive alerts advising them of suspicious or criminal activity in their area. As well as ensuring awareness among users of the service, it can also lead to them reporting suspicious activity to Gardaí.
Further information on the property marking app, text alert schemes and other crime prevention information can be found on the Garda website: www.garda.ie.
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