Gardaí faced the prospect of 'very frightening stampede' at far-right protest

An anti-lockdown protest turns violent today, as protestors on Grafton Street are arrested by Gardai. Photograph: Leah Farrell / RollingNews.ie

Gardaí were confronted with the prospect of a “very frightening stampede” by anti-lockdown and far-right protestors on Grafton Street when they moved in to arrest 11 of them on Thursday night, the Garda Commissioner has said.

Drew Harris said these groups had already shown a “propensity to violence” and said Garda intelligence shows the actual intention of these protests is to conduct “unlawful” activity, such as disrupting government business.