A demonstration against immigration outside the Garda main office erupted in disorder on Monday as tensions flared amongst sects in the sparse crowd, with disagreements rising over the involvement of a faction from Coolock known for openly showing support for loyalist protesters in Belfast. This group, which names itself “Coolock Says No”, advocates against the conversion of an erstwhile Crown Paints factory in the northern suburb of Dublin into an asylum-seeker hostel and was seen in Belfast over the weekend.
When a banner proclaiming “Coolock says no” was displayed during Monday’s gathering in Phoenix Park, tempers flared. Several participants, despite the thin turnout, aired their indignation at the Coolock faction for their association with the Tricolours and loyalists bearing union flags and the Ulster banner.
Chaos ensued at the anti-immigration rally held outside the Garda headquarters, with some attendees even attempting to wrestle the “Coolock says no” banner from its bearers, urging them to leave the premises, while officers from Garda merely observed. Despite the low turnout, Garda officials had set up a line of barriers for crowd management, with uniformed officers patrolling the surroundings on ground and in vans.
Albeit, the rally lost momentum and concluded within a short span. Garda substantiated the presence of their officials at the scene, stating, “Gardaí attended a public assembly in Phoenix Park, Dublin 8, earlier today”, in a brief reply to enquiries.
Gardaí are currently liaising with the PSNI about the Dublin demonstrators who took part in the Belfast protests over the weekend. This demonstration saw the distinct solidarity between loyalist demonstrators and Dubliners who identify as “Irish patriots”. Some amongst these men, notorious loyalists convicted of terrorist acts alongside, have already been identified, with at least one being out on bail facing multiple grave charges linked to anti-immigrant acts in the recent past.