Wicklow protest attacks on gardaí condemned

The Taoiseach (Irish prime minister), Simon Harris, has condemned attacks on police during a protest at a site reportedly earmarked for asylum seekers.

Six people were arrested when trouble flared in Newtownmountkennedy, County Wicklow, on Thursday.

Four appeared in court on Friday charged with public order offences and a fifth person is to appear at a later date. A juvenile was released without charge.

An Garda Síochána (Irish police) said officers came under attack with rocks and other missiles after workers were brought onto the site.

Michael Synott and Shane Synott, both of Season Park, Newtownmountkennedy; Ben McNulty with an address at Rossmore Avenue, Newtownmountkennedy, and Sharon McCann of Mountainview Drive, Wicklow appeared before Bray District Court on Friday.

The four defendants, aged between 19 and 56, were charged with public order offences.

Giving evidence, Supt Niall Kennedy said there had been a large-scale public order incident at River Lodge Trudder House on Thursday night.

He said prior to this gardaí were required to be present to ensure workers could go about their business.

At around 19:00 local time, Supt Kennedy said protestors became actively involved in criminal activity.

He said the level of violence was relentless and extremely dangerous.

The office said that further charges may arise.

There was no objection to bail but a number of conditions were imposed.

Conditions included; a curfew between 18:00 to 08:00, to stay away from River Lodge Trudder House and its environs and not to engage in protest activity in the Newtownmountkennedy area.

The defendants were released on their own bail of €1,000 and are due back in court on 9 May.

Fires were also lit at the scene, three police cars were damaged and an axe was seized during the policing operation.

Police said they used force to defend themselves "as part of an escalated response to the situation".

They said the public order unit was then deployed to the scene with shields and pepper spray.

Some locals have accused them of heavy-handedness.

The Garda Commissioner, Drew Harris, visited the site known as Trudder House or River Lodge on Friday morning and condemned the violence as "unacceptable".

"We’ve seen an attempt to burn a small outhouse-type premises, but also then, disgracefully, attacks on members of An Garda Síochána who were attacked with stones and indeed vehicles have been damaged. One vehicle was damaged with an axe," he said.

"And also then we've had another vehicle with lights broken and the public order vehicle with its tyres slashed."

He said that rubble and stones were thrown from fields and officers had to use protective public order equipment and shields to protect themselves.

The violence followed six weeks of protests at the same place.

Taoiseach (Irish prime minister) Simon Harris said the police were "charged with upholding the laws of the land and they should be supported in doing so".

"This is a country of laws. Attacks on gardaí (Irish police) should be condemned by all," he added.

Officers maintained a presence at the site on Friday.