Criminal probes into clashes at far-right protest in Dublin

Gardaí blocked off Kildare Street since the start of the day, thought to be the first time this has been done for Covid-19 related protests. Picture: Sam Boal

Separate criminal investigations are underway in relation to last Saturday’s clashes outside the Dáil, with probes into two assaults and another inquiry into the organisers of the protests.

The far-right National Party held a rally on Kildare Street at lunchtime on Saturday, while an anti-fascist counter-demonstration took place directly opposite, at the junction with Molesworth Street.

Gardaí blocked off Kildare Street since the start of the day, thought to be the first time this has been done for Covid-19 related protests.

Gardaí in high vis vests and ‘soft cap’ public order gardaí were on duty and had to intervene quickly when both sides heaved at each other and pushed at the cordons of barriers.

Some discussion is thought to be underway within the gardaí at the ease with which the barriers were moved and the possible need of having more substantial barriers in the future.

Gardaí said that two men were assaulted on Molesworth Street and that criminal investigations were underway in a bid to identify the assailants.

Gardaí arrested two people for public order offences during the protests.

Separate investigations are underway into the organisers of the far-right rally and the counter-protest.

Those attending protests are not subject to any criminal sanction.

Garda searches took place of bags of people attending the protests. Garda sources said they tried to prevent either side being infiltrated by anyone from the opposing group.

Some journalists reported that members of the media were threatened by some of the counter-protestors.

In the run-up to the rally, gardaí were concerned at the prospect of violence and sources on Monday repeated that fear given the violence that could have happened on Saturday.

On September 12, at an 'anti-mask' protest on Kildare Street, counter-protestor Izzy Kamikaze was struck on the head with a wooden plank wrapped with the Irish Tricolour brandished by a hooded man.

As reported in the Irish Examiner last week, gardaí are happy with how their investigation into the assault was going and hoped to be in a position to send a file to the DPP soon.