A large crowd has marched from the site of a proposed asylum centre in Coolock to the local Garda station to hand in a letter of complaint about the behavior of the force in the area during the week.
Before the march, organised by Coolock Says No, headed from the former Crown paints site, the crowd heard from a number of councillors and from people who said they had been pepper sprayed during unrest in the area on Monday. Others said that local politicians had not engaged with the community regarding their concers.
This was the peaceful march towards Coolock Garda Station. The fire happened shortly after the march arrived at the station where a letter of complaint was handed over. #coolocksaysno #coolock #irelandisfull pic.twitter.com/JbBy91RkXW
— Keitho☘️ (@HibernoToronto) July 19, 2024
Huge turnout this evening in Coolock in Dublin as locals protesting against the use of the old crown paint factory for accommodation for hundreds of asylum seekers. Maybe the government will eventually start listening to the locals and the people who elect them. pic.twitter.com/OBa3Hl95lC
— Niall Boylan (@Niall_Boylan) July 19, 2024
Crowd in Coolock converges on Coolock Garda Station where Councillors Malachy Steenson and Glen Moore hand in letter of complaint around Garda response to events on Monday pic.twitter.com/aPnvLdSmwH
— Barry Lenihan (@BarryLenihan) July 19, 2024
“The crowd then marched towards the local garda station where they were met by a wall of gardaí,” RTÉ News said. “Councillor Malachy Steenson read out a letter which was handed to gardaí in protest of what the group said were “heavy-handed tactics” employed by officers on Monday.”
Most of the crowd then dispersed, reports said, but a fire broke out at the site of the proposed asylum centre for the second night in a row. Riot police were deployed in the area for the third time this week, and pepper-spray was used.
Up to 1,000 people are attending a protest in Coolock, north Dublin, against the use of the old Crown Paints factory as accommodation for asylum seekershttps://t.co/LMy0OPPzdk
— RTÉ News (@rtenews) July 19, 2024
Unrest tonight on the Malahide Road area of Coolock, after a peaceful protest earlier, #RobbieKane @DublinLive pic.twitter.com/GtRKQGfJgN
— Robbie Kane (@robbiekane74) July 19, 2024
Broadcaster Niall Boylan said that “unfortunately, what began as a well-attended, peaceful protest ended with the riot squad back on the streets. The vast majority of today’s protestors are decent people with genuine concerns and objections. The real issue lies with the chaotic immigration system and the government’s lack of communication with working-class communities across the country.”
“The government has stripped away their legal right to object by removing planning laws under emergency legislation, leaving them voiceless and feeling compelled to take to the streets to protect their community. It’s easy for the elite, residents in affluent suburbs like D4, and government ministers to look down on working-class communities because hundreds of primarily male migrants are not being accommodated across the road from them.”
“It’s time for the government to support these communities, work with them, and stop the chaotic immigration policy. Many of those being accommodated at taxpayers’ expense are not genuine asylum seekers and should be deported. The government needs to pay attention to its own citizens and their fears and needs.”
Unfortunately, what began as a well-attended, peaceful protest ended with the riot squad back on the streets. The vast majority of today's protestors are decent people with genuine concerns and objections. The real issue lies with the chaotic immigration system and the… pic.twitter.com/bCdW9NG7mj
— Niall Boylan (@Niall_Boylan) July 19, 2024
However, Taoiseach Simon Harris said that anyone who crossed the line would meet the full force of the law and he wanted “to thank the gardaí for the work that they’ve done”.
“I want to assure people right across the country that the gardaí will continue to apply the laws of the land without fear or favour,” he added.