A dispute has emerged between rank-and file-gardaí and Minister for Justice Helen McEntee over the handling of the violence in Coolock, north Dublin, on Monday and use of the Garda’s Public Order Unit officers to quell violence.
The Garda Representative Association (GRA), which represents more than 2,000 rank-and-file gardaí, has complained its members were exposed to serious danger because of delay in deploying the Public Order Unit. However, Ms McEntee has expressed satisfaction with the policing response, saying the violence was brought quickly under control, revealing that 30 arrests had been made, much higher than the 19 known about earlier on Tuesday.
Trouble flared from about 3am on Monday when the Garda arrived and made efforts to remove a protest camp, in place since March, at the Crown Paints factory on Malahide Road, which is set to accommodate international protection applicants. The policing operation, during which gardaí used pepper spray and riot shields, ended effectively at about 9pm though a presence was maintained overnight at the site.
GRA leader Mark O’Meara said while his members “bravely stood firm” in Coolock he questioned if “lessons” had been learned from the riots sparked by far-right elements in Dublin last November.
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“There was a clear delay in the deployment of the Public Order Unit which potentially exposed our members at the scene to extremely volatile and dangerous conditions for a number of hours,” said Mr O’Meara.
Given the delay “it was extremely fortunate” some gardaí did not suffer more serious injuries. The GRA plans to raise the matter with Garda Commissioner Drew Harris and other senior officers.
“We will express serious concerns on whether lessons were learned from the incidents of last November and demand that we are better prepared for any possible future attacks The safety of our members is paramount.”
Ms McEntee said while deployment of resources available to the force was an operational matter for the commissioner and senior officers “on the ground”, she believed the policing operation had gone well and was happy with it.
“Gardaí will always use a graduated response and we’ve seen right across the country different scenarios where there’s been movement and changes to direct provision centres, where issues have arisen and where gardaí have deployed resources as needed,” she said.
Pressed on the RTÉ News at One whether she was satisfied with the policing response, she replied “absolutely”, especially as gardaí were forced to deal with several groups and locations over a distance of about 2km on Malahide Road.
“Gardaí responded effectively and they also brought this under control very quickly,” she said, adding what had happened in Coolock was “not legitimate protest” and was instead “criminal behaviour”.
This included missiles thrown at gardaí, fires set, an arson attack carried out and a security guard injured. There were “over 200″ Garda members present “dealing with a really challenging situation”, she said.
After gardaí arrived on the scene in the early hours clashes occurred and a petrol bomb was thrown, destroying a digger at the site.
Later in the day, from about lunchtime, there were clashes between officers and some teenagers and men who had gathered to throw missiles at lines of uniform and Public Order Unit gardaí. While those disturbances were largely quelled, further disturbances erupted from about 6pm when missiles were again thrown at gardaí.
At about 9pm the situation was brought under control and gardaí reopened Malahide Road.
Some 15 people appeared before the courts in Dublin on Monday night after being arrested at the disturbances through the day, with a further four suspects due to be charged in court on Tuesday.
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