Gardaí warn of militant element at water protest

Up to 300 gardaí have been drafted in to police tomorrow’s water charge protest outside Government Buildings, which is expected to attract tens of thousands of people.

Garda chiefs will operate a “low-profile” presence involving uniformed members, but will have at least one public order unit on standby in case any fringe group threatens to spoil the event.

Security bosses are most concerned that militant republicans — numbering up to 70 or so people — may try to orchestrate confrontations with gardaí.