Protests over housing of asylum seekers were hijacked by thugs – Irish premier

Protests over asylum seekers being housed at a site in Dublin were “hijacked” by thugs, the Irish premier has said.

Violence erupted across parts of north Dublin after clashes between gardai and rioters, which led to the arrest of 19 people.

Irish police came under sustained attack at a disused factory designated as accommodation for asylum seekers in Coolock on Monday.

The scenes at the former Crown Paints factory have been widely condemned.

Fifteen people – 13 men and two women – appeared before a late-night sitting at the Criminal Courts of Justice on Monday, charged with a range of public order offences.

Six others appeared in court on Tuesday.

Videos posted on social media showed machinery and materials had been set on fire at the site.

The violent clashes led to a security guard requiring hospital treatment.

Premier Simon Harris said on Tuesday that those engaged in the riots were not “protesters”.

He added: “I am somewhat perplexed that this morning that I still hear in media and political discourse a reference to protesters.

“To be clear, when you decide to use a petrol bomb, you lost your right to be called a protester.

“I’m not quite sure why we have decided to, in any manner or means, legitimatise in any way, shape or form the actions of people who engaged in sheer thuggery yesterday evening and try to harm the men and women of An Garda Siochana, disrupt a community and cause utter chaos.

“I want to pay respect to the people of Coolock, people who called for calm, and indeed people who cleaned up after others came to their community to cause chaos.

“I’ve had it up to here with this whataboutery.

“We will continue to communicate better with communities, good decent people across the country who want to talk about legitimate issues. There is such a role for that.

“What we saw last night was such a distance away from a question about community engagement, it was sheer thuggery and it should be called out as such.

“I was particularly pleased to see the benefit of the body-cams that Government has now provided the gardai with.

“This is not protest or an issue of community engagement. This is an issue of a relatively small number of people who think they have a right to do whatever the hell they like in this country, who showed disdain for the laws of our land, disdain for the men and women for An Garda Siochana.

“It was the hijacking of a situation by a group of people who engaged in utter thuggery and it’s not reflecting any means of the community of Coolock.”

“I think it’s really important that we are clear in terms of the engagement that took place as regards the Crown Paint site and the community engagement team in my department would have notified TDs, councillors and Dublin City Council in late March that an offer had come in in terms of the use of this site for international protection accommodation,” he said.

“In early April a meeting was convened again with TDs, with councillors and with community reps through the auspices of the North-side partnership.

“Subsequent to that, a detailed briefing was circulated in mid-April setting out at that point, what was the plans for the particular use of the site.

“We would have had further engagement with the North-side community forum again providing further information. So four months ago, the initial information about the planned use of this site was provided and our community engagement team have been there throughout all that time.

“There has been very detailed information provided on the use of this particular site. Even if there wasn’t, still no excuse to throw petrol bombs, but detailed information has been in the public domain for a very considerable period of time.”

The Green Party minister also defended the decision for contractors to enter the site in the early hours of Monday.

“It varies in that in place to place.

“An Garda Siochana were supportive of the machinery and equipment coming up to the site in terms of their direct engagement, asking the protesters to move aside. Obviously they refused.

“Access was secured but subsequently a call was put out in terms of bringing people and encouraging them to engage in disruptive and violent behaviour. There is no excuse for that. But as I say, very clear information was provided over the last four months in terms of the use of the Crown Paint site.”

Minister for Justice Helen McEntee said the violence was “completely unacceptable” and will not be tolerated.

Speaking in Dublin, she said: “Gardai responded quickly and in force and I want to commend members of An Garda Siochana for the way in which they did respond.

“It is completely unacceptable that any person that they will be attacked when going about their business.

“Significant arrests were made, 15 men and women were before the courts and I expect that there will be more arrests later today.

“Importantly as well, body cameras were used yesterday and will be part of the evidence in the coming weeks and months.

“This is not a legitimate protest. This is criminal behaviour and activity and it will be treated as such.”