LAST UPDATE | 15 Jul
GARDAÍ HAVE CHARGED 15 people while responding to a public order incident in Coolock, amid disturbances at a site earmarked for asylum seekers in the north Dublin suburb.
They appeared before a special sitting of the Criminal Courts of Justice in Dublin tonight.
More than 200 members of An Garda Síochána were deployed in response to today’s disturbances, including frontline uniformed members supported by Public Order Gardaí.
There were clashes between police and anti-immigrant demonstrators after a number of fires broke out at the entrance to the site earlier today. Further confrontations took place this evening, with rocks and fireworks flung at gardaí, who deployed pepper spray against protesters.
A statement from the Garda Press Office tonight said it was unaware of any injuries to members despite the day’s scenes, adding that
Speaking about today’s events, Garda Commissioner Drew Harris said it was a “difficult” day for gardaí.
“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 charges overnight,” Harris alleged.
“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.”
Taoiseach Simon Harris has condemned the protests as “reprehensible” and said Justice Minister Helen McEntee has briefed him throughout.
“No person has a right to burn cars, damage property, or attack members of An Garda Síochána and emergency services,” said Harris.
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’.
Harris praised gardaí for their “extraordinary professionalism” and remarked that they have “come under attack today”.
McEntee this evening said she is “appalled at the violent scenes” and added that the “thuggish criminal behaviour and has no place in our society”.
She said Garda Commissioner Drew Harris has kept her updated and assured her that “everything will be done to bring those responsible to justice”.
This is not protest,” said McEntee, who added the “what we have seen today does not represent the decent communities of Coolock and surrounding areas”.
In a statement this evening, gardaí said 15 people have been charged so far during the standoff.
A garda spokesperson said that a “number of Garda vehicles have been damaged” during today’s incident.
Rocks and fireworks have been thrown at gardaí responding to the incident throughout today, with pepper spray used by gardaí responding to the incident.
Some Dublin Bus routes were changed as a result of the protests, and images on social media show one bus being attacked close to the former Crown Paints factory.
Sinn Féin’s Justice spokesperson Pa Daly said “garda vehicles have been attacked and roads blocked, preventing workers and families from returning home through the area”.
He said the vast majority of people in the area “want nothing to do with it” and “want the mindless violence and intimidation to stop immediately”.
Daly called for gardaí to be given all necessary support “to bring order to the streets and to bring those responsible for today’s mayhem to justice”.
A blockade has been in place at the site in recent months against its use as accommodation for International Protection (IP) applicants.
More anti-immigrant protesters have returned to the site this evening.
Dozens of projectiles have been thrown at gardaí as the standoff continued into this evening.
One protester with a megaphone told the crowd that gardaí were “cowards” and “globalists”. The latter has long been a term repeated in misinformation narratives and conspiracy thinking.
Local councillor reaction
Local Sinn Féin councillor Mícheál Mac Donncha told The Journal that the protests were “virtually taking over Coolock village” and needed to be condemned.
He added that it was orchestrated by “hard right elements and those influenced by the far right”, which had used “insidious influences such as social media” to grow support for the opposition to the site.
“I think I speak for the local community which I represent when I say this does not represent Coolock or Donaghmede,” Mac Donncha added.
The Malahide Road remains closed in both directions as Gardaí respond to a public order incident in Coolock.
— TheJournal.ie (@thejournal_ie) July 15, 2024
Read more: https://t.co/p6Di5ljttb pic.twitter.com/665WO292R7
The Department of Integration has previously said the site would be used to house up to 500 people.
Today’s protests came after a Government-contracted provider attempted to begin work on the site to allow it be used as accommodation.
No IP applicants were due to be accommodated today, and the work is expected to take several weeks to complete.
Footage shared on social media this morning showed small fires at the site, including a JCB in flames, with protesters standing nearby.
Around 100 people, including anti-immigrant protesters, gathered near the site, along with dozens of Gardaí and a number of units from Dublin Fire Brigade.
A security guard was hospitalised earlier this morning, with videos posted to X showing a person being stretchered into an ambulance near the site.
Taoiseach Simon Harris said the man was “attacked for simply doing his job” and added that he and his family’s thoughts are with the security guard and that they hope he makes a speedy recovery.
Protesters were also seen harassing Gardaí and chanting anti-immigrant slogans.
A Garda statement said that the force is responding to the public order incident in the area and that the Malahide Road will remain closed in both directions until it is safe to reopen it.
“There is a significant Garda presence in place, which includes several Garda Public Order Units,” a spokesperson said.
Social Democrats leader Holly Cairns said: “Again, we have seen hysteria, fear and hatred whipped up over proposed accommodation for asylum seekers, leading to attacks on gardai and workers, as well as damage to vehicles and property.”
She remarked that this “intimidation towards migrant communities is becoming increasingly common” and has a chilling effect on those seeking international protection.
“The sight of hooded and masked rioters on the streets of our capital is an affront to democracy and must be met with a robust response by the authorities,” said Cairns.
“While we should always respect the right to peaceful protest, this is not what occurred in Coolock today.”
Sinn Féin’s local councillor for the area Mícheál Mac Donncha described the scenes as “deplorable” and said the disturbances were an attempt to spread fear and did not reflect the views of the wider community.
“Those responsible should desist immediately. This is an effort to spread fear and hate in our communities and the vast majority of decent people want nothing to do with it,” he said.
A spokesperson for the Department of Integration also condemned any acts of criminality at the site, as well as intimidation of workers.
“The Department is working with communities to find suitable places for people to stay while their applications for international protection are processed,” a statement read.
“The Department’s Community Engagement Team has engaged with local public representatives in relation to the site at Coolock.”
Earlier this year, Dublin City Council’s Joint Policing Committee heard that protests against the use of the site for asylum seekers had a “criminal element embedded” within them.
Sinn Féin councillor Daithí Doolan told the committee in March that he was aware of a person who had been acting as an “ambassador” for the protests who was a “convicted drug dealer” and who previously “boasted of flooding Ireland with drugs”.
Contains reporting by Jane Moore, Eoghan Dalton and Diarmuid Pepper
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