Gardaí admit Dublin riot was unexpected
26/02/2006 - 15:12:22An Garda Siochana had no intelligence to suggest a planned peaceful march by unionists through Dublin would be hijacked by republican rioters, one of the force’s most senior officers revealed today.
Assistant Garda Commissioner Alan McHugh admitted there was no indication hundreds of thugs would descend on the city centre intent on causing mayhem and attacking the Love Ulster rally.
“We were depending on intelligence, we don’t normally speak about intelligence, but certainly it was clear that there was a counter protest but no intelligence whatsoever to indicate that the violence, even planned violence, that took place in Dublin was going to take place,” he said.
“The intelligence that was available to us from different sources, including the PSNI, was that no high grade protesting was going to take place on the day.
Assistant Commissioner McHugh said his officers were aware members of hard-line Republican Sinn Féin planned to gather at the entrance to O’Connell Street to protest against the loyalist parade.
But he said they did not expect the indiscriminate violence that ensued.
“What effectively took place then was that the parade was hijacked by a number of hoodlums and gangsters who came out of a lot of local pubs who were hell bent on causing damage who were armed with hammers and petrol bombs,” the Assistant Commissioner said.
Over 40 rioters who fought running battles with riot police over the disputed demonstration by unionists and victims of IRA terrorism were arrested.
Loyalist marchers were bussed away from the O’Connell Street area as youths, many wearing tricolours and pro-IRA regalia, launched attack after attack on police lines.
Dermot Ahern, Foreign Affairs Minister, said the rioters had defiled the national flag.
“There can be no place in modern Ireland for sectarian attacks, or efforts to exploit such attacks for political gain,” Mr Ahern said.
“I wonder did any of those heroes from Saturday’s riots who sullied our national flag by covering their faces with it or with tricolour scarves as they pelted our Gardaí with bricks and stones ever closely examined what the colours of our national flag represents.
“Our proud tricolour stands for real Republican values – the very antithesis of what these rioters perpetrated.”
Some 13 people were charged at special sittings of Dublin District Court but detectives believe CCTV footage will be crucial in catching ringleaders who led the rampage through the city’s busiest shopping districts.
All those who appeared in court were aged between 17 and 30, gardai have confirmed.
“Relying on the intelligence that was available to us there was nothing to indicate, and we prepared our policing plan based on the risks involved which were low risk,” Assistant Commissioner McHugh told RTÉ Radio.
“The intelligence that was available to us indicated that nothing of the scale that took place was going to take place.”
Six gardaí were injured in the hours of violence. Eight other people were treated in hospital and a number of walking wounded were also seen on the city streets after rioters used rubble from building works on O’Connell Street, the city’s main thoroughfare, as missiles.
Dozens of fireworks exploded in the faces of riot police while flares, bricks, paint bombs and bottles rained down in indiscriminate attacks on officers.
One journalist was injured. A row of cars on Nassau street, only yards from the front of Leinster House were torched.
Michael McDowell, Justice Minster, said those responsible would be apprehended.
“These thugs have to be faced down. They will be brought to book and in my view all right thinking Irish people should not loose their moral compass and get into finger pointing,” the Minister said.
“They should be very, very clear that it is the thugish, fascist element in Ireland which is intent on polarising Northern Ireland and southern Ireland and dividing Irish people one from another – they are the real culprits in this.”
Peter Hain, Northern Ireland Secretary of State, also condemned the riots.
“All violence has to be condemned and the scenes were disgraceful. People should be able to go about their lawful business without fear of intimidation,” Mr Hain said.
Senior gardaí will report to the Justice Minister in the coming days on the violence and policing measures in place on the day.
Opposition parties called for an investigation into the rioting and questioned why gardai were not aware of the potential for violence.
“Senior gardaí should have known where the potential trouble spots would be and prepared accordingly,” Green Party TD Ciaran Cuffe said.
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