Gardaí got here below assault from rocks and missiles, whereas an axe was additionally recovered on the scene. Three garda automobiles had been broken, together with a number of damaged home windows and tyres being slashed, throughout the incident.
Gardaí additionally “used power to defend themselves as a part of an escalated response,” a spokesperson mentioned.
The garda public order unit has been deployed and movies from the scene confirmed individuals making an attempt to breach the grounds, which have been sealed off, as a big hearth burned on the entrance of the property. It’s not clear if any injury has been triggered to the property.
“Gardaí on responsibility outdoors a premises in Newtownmountkennedy got here below assault by individuals gathered on the location,” a garda spokesperson mentioned.
“This incident has developed on account of employees, contracted to hold out lawful employment on the positioning, getting into the positioning. Quite a lot of trespassers had been additionally recognized on and faraway from the positioning final evening.
“Uniform Gardaí have been topic of each verbal and bodily abuse all through the day, which escalated into rocks and different missiles being thrown this night. Fires have been lit and an axe has been recovered by Gardaí throughout this night’s incident,” the spokesperson mentioned.
Six individuals had been arrested for alleged offences below the Prison Justice (Public Order) Act, 1994 and are at the moment detained at Garda stations in Wicklow.
“An Garda Síochána shouldn’t be conscious, right now, of any individuals injured throughout this incident,” the spokesperson mentioned.
“Because the scenario has intensified, members of An Garda Síochána used power to defend themselves as a part of an escalated response to the scenario. Help was supplied by members of An Garda Síochána Public Order Unit and roughly 50 members of An Garda Síochána stay on the scene this night. The usage of power included the usage of Incapacitant spray and deployment of Public Order Gardaí in Public Order helmets and shields.
“Individuals gathered on the entrance of the positioning have been moved away from the doorway however stay gathered within the space.
“An Garda Síochána respects the suitable for residents to train their constitutional rights; this proper doesn’t prolong to breaches of Prison Regulation, the interference with the rights of different residents to hold out their every day actions, or to assault members of An Garda Síochána.
“Any Garda exercise in relation to evolving occasions entails a graduated policing response considering related laws and public security, with enforcement as a final resort. An Garda Síochána can be conscious of misinformation and disinformation being unfold in relation to this ongoing incident,” the spokesperson mentioned.
Around the clock protests have been staged outdoors the River Lodge web site in current weeks since information broke regionally that it could be used to accommodate asylum seekers. A small-scale hearth additionally broke out on the web site final week.
Movies taken on the scene at the moment, and extensively shared on-line, confirmed a big garda presence and folks clashing with officers sporadically.
Masked males could possibly be seen making an attempt to tear down fencing on the property as gardaí had been positioned inside.
A hearth was additionally lit on the entrance to the property and flames could possibly be seen burning near a construction on the property.