Knife charge among offences as 22 arrested after Dublin protests 

Gardai form a barrier between protesters and counter protesters near Grafton Street in Dublin (Brian Lawless/PA)

Twenty-two people were arrested throughout a garda response to protests in Dublin on Thursday.

Sixteen people have been charged with a range of offences including assault, criminal damage and possession of a knife.

Gardaí said most of the charges relate to public order offences.

One man had already appeared before court by Friday afternoon with appearances for the other individuals charged to be scheduled in the coming weeks.

Gardaí said six people will be “dealt with under the adult caution scheme”.

Thursday saw gardaí mounting an operation to break up a sit-down demonstration in Dublin city centre which saw several anti-immigration protesters forcibly removed from a bridge.

The incident happened during an afternoon of disruption in the capital as anti-immigration demonstrators and anti-racism activists staged rival events across the city.

Dozens of gardaí were in the area between the demonstrations to ensure rival protesters were kept apart, with Garda public order units deployed to the scene.

A number of protesters were removed and placed in Garda vans amid angry scenes.