Three British tourists are in hospital following an assault in Temple Bar on Friday night.
The three men, aged in their 20s, were taken to St James’s Hospital after being attacked at Fownes Street Upper in Dublin at about 10.05pm.
Gardaí confirmed that they are investigating the incident but no arrests have been made to date. There was a visible Garda presence in the area on Saturday afternoon with several officers on patrol.
Fownes Street Upper is at the site of the Central Bank plaza and is mostly comprised of vintage clothes shops, which would have been closed at the time of the assault.
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Gerald Byrne, the manager of the 420 Boxed In vape and mobile phone shop, said the assaults did not surprise him.
“There is always mischief and there is always something happening here,” he said. “We should have a team of security walking around here removing people that should not be in here.
“It’s full of unsavoury characters causing problems for people. I was told by a garda sergeant before that they were not being given the money to have gardaí walking around here.”
Fine Gael councillor Ray McAdam said the assault reinforced the need for the Garda public order unit to be on the streets of Temple Bar from 6pm on.
He tweeted: “Another incident involving an assault in Temple Bar reiterate to me the need for such visible action to be taken by the Gardaí.”
He referenced the €10 million in extra funding announced recently by the Minister for Justice Helen McEntee for Garda patrols in Dublin city centre following an assault on July 25th which left an American tourist in a critical condition.
He added: “Having very visible public order patrols in situ should be put in place by the Garda Commissioner as a means of providing reassurance to Dubliners and tourists alike that our city centre is safe, secure and full of positive experience.”
