Fifteen people appeared before a special sitting of the Criminal Courts of Justice in Dublin yesterday evening after a serious public order incident in Coolock.
Anti-immigration protesting escalated into violence after a number of fires at a makeshift camp, set up by protesters near a site earmarked for asylum-seeker accommodation.
Over 200 gardaí were deployed to the incident and many were subject to verbal and physical abuse, with rocks, fireworks and other objects thrown at them.
A number of fires were lit and official Garda vehicles seriously damaged.
As the situation intensified, gardaí used incapacitant spray and deployment of Public Order Gardaí in Public Order helmets and shields to defend themselves.
Garda Commissioner Drew Harris stated: “This has been a difficult policing day. What we have seen today was unacceptable. We have seen attacks on Gardaí, criminal damage and offences of serious public disorder. All of these will be fully investigated. We have 15 people charged and we will have further chargers overnight.
“I would like to comment on how well members of An Garda Síochána, including local Gardaí and Public Order units dealt with a very volatile and difficult situation for over 12 hours.”
A further statement from gardaí said: “An Garda Síochána respects the right for citizens to exercise their constitutional rights; this right does not extend to breaches of Criminal Law, the interference with the rights of other citizens to carry out their daily activities, or to attack members of An Garda Síochána.”
