Gardaí in Dublin have mounted a significant security operation as an anti-immigration protest and a counter-protest took place in the city.
More than 300 Garda members were on duty in the area. Eleven arrests were made.
A Gardaí spokesperson said a small group attempted to cause traffic disruption.
Around 1,000 people attended the anti-immigration event which began at the Garden of Remembrance in the afternoon and travelled down O’Connell Street to the Customs House.
![Immigration protest](https://img.resized.co/breaking-news/eyJkYXRhIjoie1widXJsXCI6XCJodHRwczpcXFwvXFxcL2ltYWdlLmFzc2V0cy5wcmVzc2Fzc29jaWF0aW9uLmlvXFxcL3YyXFxcL2ltYWdlXFxcL3Byb2R1Y3Rpb25cXFwvNTQ2MzEwMjg0N2MxMWFjYjQyZGVkOTIwMGUyY2ExMDJZMjl1ZEdWdWRITmxZWEpqYUdGd2FTd3hOekEzTWpNM09EUXlcXFwvMi43NTI1MzMyMS5qcGc_dz02NDBcIixcIndpZHRoXCI6XCI2NDBcIixcImhlaWdodFwiOlwiNDI3XCIsXCJkZWZhdWx0XCI6XCJodHRwczpcXFwvXFxcL3d3dy5icmVha2luZ25ld3MuaWVcXFwvaW1hZ2VzXFxcL25vLWltYWdlLnBuZ1wiLFwib3B0aW9uc1wiOntcIm91dHB1dFwiOlwid2VicFwifX0iLCJoYXNoIjoiN2QyZjU0OGEwN2Y5YTc0MTVhZTQ3MWFmMGUyNGUyOTM4MGUwM2JhYiJ9/garda-make-eleven-arrests-in-dublin-city-centre-as-two-protests-take-place.jpg?w=640)
Some protesters carried Irish flags, as well as signs and banners with slogans such as “Ireland is full” and “Irish Lives Matter”.
Meanwhile, several hundred people attended a pro-refugee rally which was addressed by People Before Profit TD Richard Boyd-Barrett.
A large Garda presence in the centre of Dublin, including officers on horseback, acted as a line between both protests as they passed each other.
![Immigration protest](https://img.resized.co/breaking-news/eyJkYXRhIjoie1widXJsXCI6XCJodHRwczpcXFwvXFxcL2ltYWdlLmFzc2V0cy5wcmVzc2Fzc29jaWF0aW9uLmlvXFxcL3YyXFxcL2ltYWdlXFxcL3Byb2R1Y3Rpb25cXFwvMDVhODRhOWIwOWJiOGNkMDk1YjliYzU0ZDk3ZGU2MjdZMjl1ZEdWdWRITmxZWEpqYUdGd2FTd3hOekEzTWpNM09UQXdcXFwvMi43NTI1Mjg5NC5qcGc_dz02NDBcIixcIndpZHRoXCI6XCI2NDBcIixcImhlaWdodFwiOlwiNDI3XCIsXCJkZWZhdWx0XCI6XCJodHRwczpcXFwvXFxcL3d3dy5icmVha2luZ25ld3MuaWVcXFwvaW1hZ2VzXFxcL25vLWltYWdlLnBuZ1wiLFwib3B0aW9uc1wiOntcIm91dHB1dFwiOlwid2VicFwifX0iLCJoYXNoIjoiYmYzMDk5MmI1OGUxZGE1YmY3OTYzZThhMjA4ZTdjMDZiNDZkNzBhNyJ9/garda-make-eleven-arrests-in-dublin-city-centre-as-two-protests-take-place.jpg?w=640)
Among those who attended the pro-refugee rally was Game Of Thrones actor Liam Cunningham, who has worked with a number of refugee charities.
He said: “I’ve seen what refugees need… I’ve been a migrant.”
![Immigration protest](https://img.resized.co/breaking-news/eyJkYXRhIjoie1widXJsXCI6XCJodHRwczpcXFwvXFxcL2ltYWdlLmFzc2V0cy5wcmVzc2Fzc29jaWF0aW9uLmlvXFxcL3YyXFxcL2ltYWdlXFxcL3Byb2R1Y3Rpb25cXFwvNmQ0YzBlNTRjNjgwOTgwNzA1ZGViOTMyYTgzZDcwOWZZMjl1ZEdWdWRITmxZWEpqYUdGd2FTd3hOekEzTWpNM09UVTNcXFwvMi43NTI1Mjg5My5qcGc_dz02NDBcIixcIndpZHRoXCI6XCI2NDBcIixcImhlaWdodFwiOlwiNDI3XCIsXCJkZWZhdWx0XCI6XCJodHRwczpcXFwvXFxcL3d3dy5icmVha2luZ25ld3MuaWVcXFwvaW1hZ2VzXFxcL25vLWltYWdlLnBuZ1wiLFwib3B0aW9uc1wiOntcIm91dHB1dFwiOlwid2VicFwifX0iLCJoYXNoIjoiYWFhYzBjNGYyNTY4MWY3NzlhMDY0MWZhMzQyZDRjMGQwNzRmZjdlMyJ9/garda-make-eleven-arrests-in-dublin-city-centre-as-two-protests-take-place.jpg?w=640)
Referring to the anti-immigration protest, he said: “They are unfortunately blaming a government-sponsored housing crisis on migrants and refugees.
“There is a shortage of housing. There are also over 150,000 vacant homes in this country that aren’t being used.
“I am down here supporting migrants and refugees.”