There are dozens of videos posted on YouTube glorifying and encouraging attacks on garda� and garda property.

In one case which was filmed on a mobile phone, a man is seen to charge at two garda� from behind and push them into a river.

He then runs away while the shocked officers recover and chase him as his friends cheer on. This video has been seen by over 6,000 people since it was posted last February.

In another video, four youths are filmed kicking and damaging a parked patrol car. There are no officers inside or around the vehicle as the youths cheer and laugh. It was posted on the website on 22 May and has been viewed by nearly 800 people.

Another film shows an incident where two uniformed garda� in Longford attempt to arrest a male and put him in a patrol car.

One of his friends appears and strikes a garda about the head before being arrested himself. The watching crowd shout "go on ya boy ya" as the assault takes place.

A garda is captured at an incident in Temple Bar in November 2006 attempting to break up four separate fights involving nearly two dozen people, including women. The officer's hat gets knocked off his head during a scuffle and he is forced to draw his baton to break up serious violence.

As he calls for back-up a man comes up behind him and strikes him in the back of the head before running down the street.

The injured garda manages to pursue him and detain him just as reinforcements arrive. Nearly 24,000 people have watched this video.

Another video is entitled 'garda B****** arresting man for no reason'. Two officers have detained a youth while his girlfriend protests at them. The arrested man shouts at them while the officers ask his girlfriend to go back to her car.

The video is played to the music of the American TV show Cops and the garda is nicknamed 'Fat McSnitch'. 11,600 people have viewed the clip.

Other videos include a man urinating on a garda patrol car while his friends laugh and a garda being hit with a bottle thrown by a GAA fan on Hill 16 in Croke Park last summer.

Edited transcript of garda 'prank'posted on online video website YouTube

AFTER a tense discussion in which Brendan Campbell reminds the garda that he pays his wages, and suggests that he needs better manners, the garda says: "You're right, I'm sorry.

Now Mr Campbell, what can I do for you?"

Campbell: "I'm not Mr Campbell, I'm Brendan Campbell."

Garda: "Okay Mr Campbell."

Campbell: "I'm not Mr Campbell, I'm Brendan Campbell."

Garda: (now laughing) "Oh sorry, Mr Campbell."

Campbell: "I'm not Mr Campbell, I'm Brendan Campbell."

Garda: (still laughing) "Sorry Mr Campbell" Campbell: "I'm not Mr Campbell, I'm Brendan Campbell."

Garda: (still laughing) "Sorry Mr Campbell."

Campbell: "I'm not Mr Campbell, I'm Brendan Campbell."

Garda: "Sorry, Mr Campbell."

Campbell: "I'm not Mr Campbell, I'm Brendan Campbell."

Garda: "Sorry, Mr Campbell."

Campbell: "I'm not Mr Campbell, I'm Brendan Campbell."

Garda: "Sorry Brendan."

Campbell: "I'm not Mr Campbell, I'm Brendan Campbell."

Garda: "I just called you Brendan."

Campbell: "Door knob."

Garda: "But I just called you Brendan. Sorry, Mr Campbell."

Campbell: "I'm not Mr Campbell, I'm Brendan Campbell."

Garda: "Alright, sorry Brendan. Is there anything else I can do for you?"

Campbell: "I want to speak to the sergeant."

Garda: "Well, he's not available."

Campbell: "He's not always unavailable."

Garda: "Well, he is at the minute, Mr Campbell."

Campbell: "I'm not Mr Campbell, I'm Brendan Campbell."

Garda: "Sorry, Mr Campbell."

Campbell: "I'm not Mr Campbell, I'm Brendan Campbell."

Garda: (laughing again) "Sorry, Mr Campbell."

Campbell: "I'm not Mr Campbell, I'm Brendan Campbell."

Garda: (still laughing) "Sorry, Mr Campbell."

Campbell: "I'm not Mr Campbell, I'm Brendan Campbell."

Garda: "Sorry Brendan Campbell."