Several anti-immigration protesters were forcibly removed from O'Connell bridge in central Dublin as gardaí mounted an operation to break up a sit-down demonstration.
The incident happened during an afternoon of disruption in Dublin as anti-immigration demonstrators and anti-racism activists staged rival events across the city.
Some 19 arrests were made across the day and Garda public order units deployed as Irish flag-waving protesters objecting to Government immigration policies staged the sit-down demonstration on O’Connell Bridge.
Gardaí on loud hailers ordered the protesters to leave the bridge ahead of moving in to disperse the protest.
A number of protesters were removed and placed in Garda vans amid angry scenes.
Hundreds of members of the public gathered to watch as the dispersal operation was mounted.
At around 5pm, the bridge was cleared of protesters who moved further up O’Connell Street.
Earlier, the rival groups had gathered in the area close to the Dáil. Barriers erected by gardaí prevented any protest activity in the immediate vicinity of the Leinster House building.
Events began around 2pm at the GPO on O’Connell Street as hundreds of people assembled for the start of the anti-immigration demonstration.
People carried Irish tricolours, “Erin Go Bragh” banners and flags displaying the slogan “You’ll Never Beat the Irish”.
The group broke out in chants of “Irish Lives Matter”, “Whose streets? Our streets” and “Get them out, get them out”.
The anti-immigration protesters then walked through Dublin city towards the Dáil.
A group of anti-racism activists assembled at the bottom of Grafton Street and there were tense scenes as the rival protest passed by, with a line of gardaí creating a human chain between them.
The anti-immigration campaigners continued towards to Dáil and assembled halfway down Molesworth Street facing Leinster House, with Garda barriers preventing them from getting close to the gates of the parliament building.
More than a hundred anti-racism counter-demonstrators relocated close by, at the junction of Dawson Street and Molesworth Street. Participants were loudly chanting “far-right loyalists, get off our streets”.
Dozens of gardaí were in the area between the demonstrations to ensure rival protesters were kept apart, with Garda Public Order Units deployed to the scene.
The two groups dispersed from the area around the Dáil shortly afterwards and set off separately in the direction of O’Connell Street.
The anti-racism march made its way over O’Connell Bridge and up O’Connell Street shortly before the anti-immigration activists gathered and commenced their sit-down demonstration.
A Garda spokesperson said a comprehensive policing operation was in place at several locations across the city centre with 100 uniformed officers on duty from early morning to facilitate protests.
They said gardaí responded to a number of public order incidents, including one on Grafton Street at around 2:30pm.
Two public order units were later deployed on O’Connell Bridge.
“A total of 19 arrests were made as part of today’s operation,” they said.
“An Garda Siochana is not aware of any injuries at this time.”
