Two arrested over Dáil rooftop protest

Two men were arrested today after staging a rooftop protest at the Mansion House in Dublin as politicians gathered to mark the 90th anniversary of the first Irish parliament, Dáil Éireann.

The pair, in their 20s and from a small republican activist group, evaded tight security outside the landmark building to launch the demonstration as celebrations began at 11am.

Ireland’s TDs and Senators were attending a special joint sitting to mark the first Dáil, which sat on January 21, 1919, when Sinn Féin elected representatives fulfilled a promise to establish an independent Irish parliament.

The first shots in the War of Independence were fired on the same day.

Gardaí confirmed the two arrested men, who were wearing workmen’s clothes and claimed to be from the Eirigí group, were detained on suspicion of trespass.