A total of 19 people have been arrested after the violence and disorder in Coolock yesterday.
Fifteen were brought before the courts last night and charged with public order offences, with four more due to appear today.
Over 200 Gardaí were deployed to the area - including public order units and the air support unit - when a protest outside the former Crown Paints factory, which had been earmarked for asylum seekers, turned violent.
Fires were lit, Garda cars damaged and fireworks and rocks hurled at Gardaí.
Taoiseach Simon Harris has criticised the ‘reprehensible’ scenes – warning that nobody has a right to burn cars, damage property or attack Gardaí.
Justice Minister Helen McEntee said she was "appalled" by the scenes.
Gardaí in Coolock. Photo: Eamonn Farrell/© RollingNews.ieNewstalk reporter Henry McKean was inadvertently pepper-sprayed at the scene.
He said there was a feeling of danger in the air and advised people to stay away from the area.
“The anger, you could feel it in the air,” he said.
“There’s an edge to Coolock this evening and I would advise people to stay away from Coolock this evening, stay at home, don’t go out.
“The Guards are trying to disperse some of the protestors and some of the rioters into little pockets and groups – but some of those rioters want to make an impact, so it’s dangerous, it’s unsafe and unfortunately, it’s going to become more unsafe as it becomes darker.”
Join us on @NewstalkFM @NTBreakfast 7am where we speak to Coolock protesters and ask why it had to come to this. pic.twitter.com/0J7aVawq0H
— Henry McKean (@HenryMcKean) July 15, 2024
Dublin City councillor John Lyons said those who took part in the violence are a "tiny minority" and are not representative of the local mood.
“[I’m] very much shocked today by what I saw today at the former Crown Paints factory site on the Malahide Road,” he said.
“I think those small number of people who engaged in arson, who engaged in violence, who engaged in physical assault are indeed a very small number of people.
“They’re a tiny minority, they don’t represent the lovely community of Coolock in any way shape or form.
“They’re not representative of the majority views of the people of Coolock.”
Gardaí in Coolock. Photo: Eamonn Farrell/© RollingNews.ieCllr John Lyons said a lack of consistent engagement from authorities has contributed to the chaos witnessed yesterday.
“When the Government decides that any particular site in any particular location might be used for people seeking international protection, then there needs to be engagement with the local community to see how that’s going to work,” he said.
“So, for instance, in relation to this particular area in Coolock, we had one meeting three months ago but we were promised that there would be further information - and that didn’t happen.”
Calm in the area has now been restored.
Main image: Gardaí in Coolock. Photo: Eamonn Farrell/© RollingNews.ie
