Protester smashes Hogan’s car windscreen

Political protest took an ugly twist yesterday as Environment Minister Phil Hogan’s car windscreen was smashed by a demonstrator and a fellow Government TD brought in the gardaí after being threatened.

The unrelated incidents are the latest examples of an increasingly confrontational style of demonstration against Coalition policies.

Mr Hogan’s ministerial car was besieged by about a dozen demonstrators as he left an event in Athlone, Co Westmeath. Gardaí said a man in his 20s was detained but released last night.