Additional reporting by Sarah Mooney
Gardaí made 14 arrests in Dublin on Friday evening, after a number of public order incidents took place as large crowds gathered in the city centre.
Gardaí said the “vast majority” of those present in the area were “socialising responsibly and enjoying outdoor activity.”
However, a number of public order incidents took place in the south city centre, primarily involving large “organised groups” congregating at locations including South William Street, Saint Stephen’s Green Park and Templebar Square.
One group gathered on South William Street launched glass bottles and other missiles at Garda officers.
“A significant uniform Garda presence was on patrol and interacted with various groups. In particular whilst interacting with a specific group at South William Street, glass bottles and other missiles were thrown at gardaí,” a Garda statement said.
“Having attempted to engage with these persons, with no positive response, uniform gardaí, supported by ‘soft cap’ public order gardaí then dispersed this particular group from South William Street.”
Garda hospitalised
During the incidents of Friday evening, one Garda member sustained a leg injury and received hospital treatment. A Garda patrol vehicle was also damaged.
The total 14 people arrested for public order offences included nine adults and five juveniles.
Those arrested were detained at Pearse Street and Kevin Street Garda Stations.
Six were charged with public order offences and released. Two others received an adult caution, while one was released pending a summons for public order offences.
The five juveniles were released and referred for Garda Juvenile Liaison Officers (JLOs).
An Garda Síochána has said it will continue to patrol and manage crowds on public streets and spaces, in support of the reopening of the economy and society.
Public appeal
The force has issued an appeal to the public to comply with public health guidelines.
“While extra facilities are being provided by local authorities, An Garda Síochána appeals for consideration for other persons using the spaces, local residents and businesses,” it said in statement on Saturday morning.
“Where crowds gather An Garda Síochána's responsibility is preserving public order and preventing and investigating any criminal offence, which may occur.
“An Garda Síochána has been consistent from the start in our response to the Covid-19 pandemic, based on our tradition of policing by consent. An Garda Síochána will continue to focus on the approach engage, explain, encourage the public with enforcement only as a last resort.
“An Garda Síochána continues to appeal to the public to support and comply with public health guidelines to avoid crowded areas and large gatherings, take personal responsibility to protect yourself and others, wear face coverings in open spaces, and maintain social distancing.”
Mary Whelan, spokesperson for the Dublin Can Be Heaven business group of some 68 businesses located between Grafton and George’s Street, said she will close her Irish craft and design shop Eirlooms early today along with a small number of other members.
“Myself, I'll close at three o'clock tomorrow. I know some [members] who just said no, we're just going to close for the weekend, end of story,” she said on Friday evening.
“The drinking starts from 3pm onwards, and then it starts to escalate into the evening,” she added.
“People in our group who've been 33 years, 47 years in business - they said they've never, ever, ever seen anything like this in the city centre,” she said, referencing social media footage of a group recently fighting in the city centre streets.
While Ms Whelan said most of the business group’s members will remain open over the bank holiday weekend, they feel a level of crowd management akin to that seen during periods such as St Patrick’s weekend is needed.
'They were kicked and punched'
Dublin Can Be Heaven said events had further deteriorated since last weekend’s street gatherings, culminating in an alleged assault on a family member and the premises of one of its members on Thursday evening.
Ms Whelan said the member, who does not want to be identified, had their shop window smashed and son assaulted by a group gathered in the city centre.
Gardaí confirmed on Saturday morning that investigations are ongoing into the incident.
“The owner and his son... they were still on the premises, it was about ten o’clock. They were upstairs, and there were lots of people in the street below. So they heard a crash, they ran down and one of their windows was smashed,” Ms Whelan said.
“They went out, you know as you do, you run out into the street to see who’s doing what, and they were set upon by a mob of about 30 young fellas they said. They were kicked and punched, and the owner’s son was really badly, his chin was really badly cut, he had to have a number of stitches it in.”
Ms Whelan said the business owner and his family were “really shaken” by the incident: “In 25 years he said, it's the scariest thing it's ever happened... in his business.”
“They've closed for the weekend now, they won’t be open till sometime next week so obviously they're losing business,” she added.
In a statement, gardaí said no arrests have been made into the incident that saw a man in his 20s receive medical treatment, but investigations are ongoing into the assault.
