Irish police arrested 19 people during an anti-immigration protest in Dublin on Monday. Fifteen of the protesters, 13 men and two women, later appeared at the Criminal Courts of Justice for a special sitting and were charged with public order offences under Section 6 and Section 8 of the Criminal Justice (Public Order) Act 1994.
Crime Correspondent Paul Healy reported that violent protests occurred in the suburb of Coolock in northern Dublin in the early Monday afternoon. Malahide Road was crowded with protesters and officers from all over Dublin were ordered to immediately go to the former Crowns Paints site to prevent a second riot from occurring. When Irish police (called An Garda Síochána) arrived, several roads were closed and the gardaí circled the area armed with shields, with helicopters monitoring from above. The Dublin Fire Brigade issued a statement on social media about the roads dealing with fires.
The Garda Public Order Unit faced attacks from some protesters who hurled missiles at them, set fire to a JCB digger, and ignited wheelie bins. Several protesters were arrested on the spot while others were pepper sprayed. A security guard at the renovation site was injured and taken to the hospital.
A protest campsite was set up in March to obstruct workers from renovating the Coolock area intended for housing International Protection Applicants. Protesters had erected shacks with banners and slogans like “Coolock Says No,” blocking traffic for months. The early morning of the incident saw an escalation when a protester posted on TikTok about gardaí presence at 3:51 AM, followed by security guards arriving and demolishing the shacks by 5 AM.
Taoiseach Simon Harris condemned the violence in Coolock, calling it “pure thuggery,” while Minister for Justice Helen McEntee stated that “thuggish criminal behaviour” has no place in society.
To secure the site, concrete barriers three meters high have now been installed, keeping gardaí on the scene as of Tuesday. The 15 protesters released on €300 bail must stay away from the former Crowns Paints factory and refrain from engaging in protests or anti-social behaviour. Their next court appearance is scheduled for September 18, 2024.
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