There have been calls for a permanent Garda unit to be put in place for Dublin's inner city.
Former Lord Mayor and Independent councillor of the north inner city Christy Burke raised the issue at a Central Area Committee meeting on Tuesday as “local residents feel very unsafe as fear has once again struck the area particularly the East Wall”.
“Garda chiefs need to put in a static Garda unit and financial resources need to be ploughed into this,” he said.
His comments come as gardaí have launched an urgent witness appeal after two teenage boys were stabbed during a group brawl in the East Wall on Monday night.
Brawl
The 16-year-old teenagers suffered serious stab wounds and were rushed from the scene of the brawl on Church Road to the Mater Hospital. Their injuries are said not to be life threatening.
It is understood that a group of 15 to 20 youths, mostly wearing masks, were seen fleeing the scene on bikes and heading up the Royal Canal after officers were called just after 8.30pm.
The scene was cordoned off by gardaí to allow for forensic examinations to be carried out.
In a statement gardaí said that “no arrests have yet been made at this time”.
They are pleading with the public to come forward if they have any information or camera footage of the incident.
“Gardaí investigating a stabbing incident that occurred in the Dublin 3 area on the evening of Monday, September 3, 2021, are appealing to the public for information.
“At approximately 8:30pm, two males aged 16 years were assaulted during an incident involving a group of youths at Church Road, East Wall. Both youths sustained laceration wounds and were taken to the Mater Misericordiae University Hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
“The scene was examined by local crime officers. No arrests have been made at this time. Gardaí are appealing for any witnesses to this incident to come forward.
“Gardaí are also appealing to any road users who were in the Church Road/East Wall area between 8:15pm and 8:30pm and who may have camera footage (including dash-cam) to make it available to them.”
Anyone with information is asked to contact Store Street Garda Station on 01 666 8000, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any Garda Station.
Last month Cllr Burke said Dublin city centre is “fast” becoming a “no-go” area and has been “abandoned” by gardaí.
His remarks were made after Irish Olympian taekwondo fighter Jack Woolley was brutally assaulted in a random attack on August 14th last.
Liffey boardwalk
The 22-year-old was left hurt and bloodied after a gang of up to 12 people set upon him and other members of the public on the Liffey boardwalk.
Cllr Burke claimed that such activity, “is allowed to happen in working-class city areas, but this would be stamped out rapidly in middle-class areas like Ballsbridge or Mount Merrion”.
The former Lord Mayor has also slammed RTÉ’s new crime drama Kin saying that the national broadcaster are “a disgrace to allow such toxic material” to be aired which aired for the first time last Sunday at 9.30pm.
“The national broadcaster needs to ask itself what this series stands for. This city is awash with cocaine and anti-social behaviour and deaths of so many involved in crime feuds it doesn’t need any further glamourising which without a doubt impacts on young people’s behaviour,” Cllr Burke added.
