Gardaí report 'huge rise in level of aggression' at protests

Gardaí watch as hundreds of anti migrant protesters gather in Kildare.

Gardaí have seen a “huge rise in the level of aggression” at protests, Dublin's policing boss has said — with 31 people arrested so far this year, compared to 20 in the same period in 2023.

Assistant Garda Commissioner Angela Willis said frontline gardaí are dealing with “very challenging situations” and cited an anti-immigration protest last week in which officers arrested 13 people outside an asylum accommodation centre in the capital.

She told the Dublin City Joint Policing Committee that gardaí have policed 291 protests so far this year under Operation Carrageen. She said there were 617 protests for the whole of 2023, which was double the number in 2022.

“We have obviously seen a huge rise in the level of aggression that we encounter at protest activity,” she said, adding that the arrests they have conducted at some protests, the vast bulk anti-immigrant ones, “will continue” where required.

In her report to the committee she said 31 people have been arrested at nine protests so far this year — and that 27 of these arrests relate to anti-immigration and housing of refugees.

“In comparison, for the same period in 2023, 20 arrests were made policing protests, representing a 55% increase on 2023,” she said.

The assistant commissioner said 617 protests were subject to policing in 2023, compared to 307 in 2022.

Ms Willis said 235 of last year’s protests related to anti-immigration events, ten were pro-immigration and 106 concerned the Israel-Palestine conflict.

Of the 277 protests up to last Friday, 72 were anti-immigration and 124 related to Israel and Palestine.

The total number of protests rose to 291 by Monday after further demonstrations over the weekend, including one where gardaí faced “quite significant challenges” at an event where both sides were present.

Verbal and physical abuse

JPC chair and Social Democrats councillor Tara Deacy said there is an “incredible level of both verbal and physical abuse” directed at candidates in the upcoming local elections on June 7 and said gardaí are very helpful dealing with candidates affected.

She condemned “pretty nasty stuff” directed at female gardaí, and gardaí generally, and said some of the recent incidents were “horrendous”.

Janet Horner, a Green Party councillor who was physically accosted by a man while hanging up election posters at night around a fortnight ago, said she was “very impressed” with the response she got from gardaí.

She said the “narrative of division” being propounded by the far-right is “deeply damaging” to communities and dangerous to individuals.

Sinn Féin councillor in Coolock, Larry O’Toole said the far-right have given youths traditionally involved in anti-social and criminal behaviour “a licence” to pull down and spray posters.

What's your view on this issue?

You can tell us here

He said the far-right have provided these particular youths with “a vehicle to hang” their activities onto.

He said it was very sad this “poison was seeping in” and was very concerned for many young people, adding: “We have to face down this hatred”.

Assistant Garda Commissioner Willis said she was aware of the “hostility to people in public life” and said she was working through a recent report chaired by former garda commissioner Noirín O’Sullivan, which made recommendations in relation to gardaí and protecting public representatives.