In the previous Crown Paints factory location, which had been selected to lodge asylum seekers, a blaze has occurred. Concurrently, there was a large protest attended by hundreds in Coolock. Throughout the week, the Malahide Road venue was the scene of violent unrest due to opposition to the accommodation proposal. A fire erupted at the disused paint factory’s entrance hall on Thursday night, suspected to be the result of an intentional arson attack.
In Coolock, north Dublin, an extensive Garda operation was set up on Friday evening in response to a protest with hundreds in attendance. The individuals gathered at the location before advancing to the Coolock Garda station, previously stormed by a violent crowd earlier in the week, to submit a letter of disapproval relating to police actions. Following this act of protest, some of the crowd travelled back to the factory spot where a fire had eventually sprung up.
Gatherings had been organised on Malahide Road through social media for the past two days, aiming to draw a large crowd to the area for the protest inclusive of extreme right-wing instigators. Guardian authorities arranged ample resources to handle potential occurrences with the Public Order Unit on standby to curb any violence that may arise at the site, set aside for approximately 500 international protection applicants.
The Garda had conducted earlier investigations within the area to preclude efforts to hide objects like petrol bombs ahead of the protest. The site was the epicentre of severe disruption on Monday as guardians arrived just prior to 4 in the morning intending to dismantle a protestor’s camp situated at the entry point since March. Unrest escalated to the throwing of a petrol bomb and the destruction of an excavator by fire.
Throughout the day, major disruptions occurred intermittently until the majority of the crowd had dispersed by around 9.30pm. The masses were pursued and confronted by personnel from the Public Order Unit who employed pepper sprays and shields to unblock Malahide Road, which had been closed off to traffic for several hours.
Although the turmoil was less violent and more short-lived on Tuesday evening, the Public Order Unit was once more called into action, causing the smaller crowd that had gathered to scatter after a few minor confrontations with the police.
Suspicion of arson has arisen following a fire outbreak on Thursday night within the former premises of Crown Paints. The fire was restricted to a lobby area in the old paint factory.
Law enforcement expressed alarm that the fire occurred even though a three-metre concrete barrier had been erected at the site entrance during the night between Monday and Tuesday.
The incident has sparked considerable apprehension that the site may continue to be the target of arson attacks in the forthcoming weeks and months.
Police sources also noted the audacity of some individuals who gathered in the area to damage police vehicles outside Coolock police station during the middle of the week, demonstrating a lack of fear and a strong intent to cause disorder.
The worry is that the police operation will stay complex and high risk as many of those eager to confront the police are young children, seemingly seizing an opportunity for recreational violence.