Concerns are mounting within An Garda Síochána about a growing, complex and volatile security threat in north Dublin after clashes between gardaí and protesters opposed to international protection applicants being housed in a disused former paint factory.
Protesters remained at the site of the Crown Paints industrial unit, Malahide Road, Coolock, on Monday night after violent clashes earlier in the day resulted in a security man hospitalised, a number of gardaí injured, arson attacks on a Garda car and a digger, and 15 arrests being made.
The Garda operation, which was continuing on Monday night in a tense stand-off with protesters and far-right agitators at the site, at its height involved up to 200 members of the force, more than 40 Garda vehicles and the Garda helicopter monitoring from above.
The violent scenes included fireworks being aimed at lines of Public Order Unit gardaí. Also thrown at gardaí were glass bottles, so-called “fast gas” canisters, rocks, stones and kerbing taken from businesses within the Malahide Road Retail Centre.
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Large wheelie bins were also taken from the industrial units – after the businesses hastily closed around lunchtime – and set alight by youths on the northbound carriageway of Malahide Road. Debris littered large sections of the road after the violent scenes were subdued by about 4.30pm.
Taoiseach Simon Harris said the scenes in Coolock were “reprehensible”.
[ Thirteen men and two women charged with public order offencesOpens in new window ]
“These actions are criminal and are designed to sow fear and division. We should not accept them being legitimised in any way by describing them as ‘protest’,” he said.
Minister for Justice Helen McEntee said she was “appalled at the criminal behaviour” in Coolock, adding she had been assured by Garda Commissioner Drew Harris that those responsible would be brought to justice.
The Department of Integration said workers had tried to access the site on Monday morning to begin refurbishing it for use as accommodation for people seeking international protection. This process is expected to take several weeks. No asylum seekers were due to be moved on to the site on Monday.
The day of unrest, protest and serious violence began when construction vehicles arrived at the entrance of the Crown Paints site, at the junction of Malahide Road and Greencastle Road. In a major operation by the Garda, it was intended that a protest camp, which had been in place since last year, would be cleared, and construction workers and materials brought on to the site.
However, some of those present clashed with gardaí, petrol bombs were thrown and a JCB digger at the site was destroyed, as was other material including mattresses intended for asylum seekers.
While that fire outside the premises was eventually brought under control, the atmosphere remained tense throughout the afternoon. Clashes between those present and gardaí then occurred from around lunchtime as Malahide Road, a busy dual carriageway, was closed from Oscar Traynor Road to the Darndale roundabout.
After 6pm hundreds more arrived at the scene, including some far-right agitators from outside the county.
A Garda car was set alight on Monday evening and two Dublin Bus vehicles were surrounded as protesters moved from the original site towards Coolock Garda station. Gardaí arrested and charged 15 people in relation to the public order incidents. They attended a special sitting of the Criminal Courts of Justice in Dublin on Monday night.
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