Man, 30s, arrested after another man injured at anti-immigration protest in Dublin

The incident took place during a rally against the movement of asylum seekers into East Wall

A man is being questioned by gardaí after the car he was driving was involved in a collision with a pedestrian at an anti-immigration protest in Dublin’s north inner city yesterday evening.

The incident occurred during a march by groups opposed to refugee accommodation in the East Wall and Sheriff Street area of the city.

It is understood the driver is being questioned in relation to alleged endangerment while driving.

The pedestrian was taken to hospital by ambulance, but his injuries were not thought to be serious.

The incident occurred at around 7.30pm on Seville Place, where protestors had gathered across the busy intersection.

The driver was live-streaming from his car at the time of the incident and it recorded much of what happened.

Gardaí will view the recording as part of their investigation along with other footage circulating online.

The protest, along Seville Place, caused traffic congestion and diversions were in place, with Garda traffic bollards and barriers visible.

There was a significant presence at the event, including in marked Garda vehicles and on foot and on bicycle. They may also have recorded part of the incident while other gardaí may have witnessed some of it.

Footage shows the gardaí reacting quickly to the incident.

The man arrested is known to many organisers of anti-refugee protests and has turned up at a number of events, including at the East Wall protests, to try and disrupt them.

He has walked beside and through protests, using a microphone, shouting “Out, out, out, racists out”.

One of his livestream feeds from yesterday, before the road incident, showed him walking among protestors shouting this slogan and getting a strong reaction from some protestors.

He did the same at a small anti-refugee protest in Walkinstown, south Dublin, on Monday evening.

On that occasion, he told the Irish Examiner he travelled to many of the events to disrupt them and that, so far, operated on his own.

In a statement issued last night about the incident, the Garda Press Office said: “Gardaí are investigating all the circumstances surrounding a road traffic collision that occurred in Seville Place, Dublin 1, this evening Wednesday 15 February 2023.

“One male was taken to hospital.

“A male (aged in his 30s) was arrested and is currently detained in a Garda station in North Dublin.” Senior officers have expressed concern at the potential for unexpected flashpoints at the protests and how such incidents might inflame an already tense situation.