Gardaí and Dublin Airport police were called to the scene of fight between a number of men at the airport on Tuesday evening. One man was arrested and another was hospitalised after sustaining injuries.
The incident was captured on video, via mobile phone, by one passenger and the footage has since gone viral on social media.
In reply to queries, Garda Headquarters confirmed Garda members had been called to an incident at the airport. The fight appeared to be taking place in an airside area of the departures section, near the catering services and flight gates.
“Gardaí, with the assistance of the DAA Airport Police, responded to a public order incident at Dublin Airport yesterday evening, May 24th. One man has since been taken to Beaumont Hospital where he is receiving treatment.”
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A man in his 20s was arrested and taken to Swords Garda station for questioning. He has since been released and was due to appear before the before Swords District Court on June 14th.
The fight broken out, initially between two men, in the departures area. As they fought, other men who gardai believe were known to them, looked on.
Punches were exchange between the two men and when a passenger tried to intervene he was pulled away by one of the men looking on. After a short period a third man then arrived into the scene and struck one of the men several times in quick succession.
That man being struck fell to the ground and he was further assaulted, included being kicked. Other passengers, who had been looking on from a distance, rushed in in a bid to break up the fight and then dragged the man on the ground away from the scene.
It is believed all of the men at the scene were known to each other and that all of of them were Irish. The motive for the fight was unclear.
Airport operator Daa said it would not comment in detail on the row as one man has been arrested. The authority declined to comment on allegations on social media that the Airport Police detail had been “downsized” or on reports on social media that onlookers were told to delete footage of the incident from their mobile phones, or face not being allowed to board their flights.
Asked about the incident, Minister for Justice Helen McEntee said: “It’s absolutely not acceptable. People were queuing to go on their holidays with other children around. They don’t need to see this type of behaviour,”
Earlier this month a new 50 person Garda Station was officially opened in the Airport. The Minister said she has “every confidence gardaí will be able to progress the investigation.
Garda Commissioner Drew Harris said he is not aware of how long it took gardaí to respond to the incident and that he intends to review the matter. He said gardaí intervened in an earlier incident before the fight. Following the brawl, a number of people were refused entry to their flight, Mr Harris said. “We did obviously an employ sufficient resources to make sure that order was restored,” Mr Harris said, adding the incident seems to have been “fuelled by drink.”
