End fuel blockades or face ‘full rigours of the law’, protesters warned

Fuel demonstrations have moved from protests to “blockades” and any involvement from the Irish army in their management will be “limited and of a practical nature”, gardai have said.

Justice Minister Jim O’Callaghan said large vehicles blocking critical infrastructure would be removed, as HGVs and tractors continue to cause disruption for a third day in Dublin city centre and on major motorways, amid protests over the Government’s response to rising fuel prices.

Protests that began as slow-moving convoys have escalated to include the blockading of fuel depots and the Whitegate oil refinery in Co Cork.

The Defence Forces confirmed that their assistance has been requested in the form of heavy vehicle recovery and clarified that images circulating on social media of armoured personnel carriers in convoy were “conducting mission readiness exercises ahead of deployment to Unifil (United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon) next month”.

In a statement to the media at Garda headquarters at Phoenix Park in Dublin, the Deputy Commissioner of Operations, Shawna Coxon, urged protesters to end “blockades” of fuel depots or “face the full rigours of the law”.

She said: “Despite our significant and prolonged engagement, which has included explaining and encouraging protesters to facilitate free movement of traffic, it is clear that some people have significantly escalated an already difficult situation by targeting critical infrastructure such as fuel depots and refineries.

“These are no longer protests. They are blockades.

“These blockades are putting at risk supplies of food, fuel, clean water and animal feed. These are critical for the nation and its people. This is not tolerable, and it is against the law.

“As part of our well-established, graduated policing response in dealing with protests, An Garda Siochana is now moving to an enforcement phase in relation to those impacting on critical infrastructure, unless they desist and disperse.”

She added: “An Garda Siochana is advising protesters to immediately cease blockades of such critical national infrastructure or face the full rigours of the law.”

Acting Deputy Commission Paul Cleary told reporters that An Garda Siochana “remains in control of this policing operation”.

“We have well-established protocols with the Defence Forces that we can request their assistance on a case-by-case basis, which is what we have done at this stage.

“Any assistance provided by the Defence Forces will be as an aid to the military power and it will be limited and of a practical nature.

“It’s not to say that they will necessarily or may even be used, but the form C70 is basically a request, so we have that option open to us.”

Mr Cleary said the force has “a proven track record” in facilitating protests and “will always uphold people’s rights to a peaceful protest”, but that the current demonstrations are “moving into a different phase”.

“Although… we will always uphold that right to peaceful protests, we have a duty of care to all citizens in this country,” he said.

“So again, our appeal is those people behind these blockades to think of their fellow citizens in this regard and engage fully with us.”

Ms Coxon later said that concern about violence breaking out “always factors in” but added: “Out of respect for the protesters thus far there has not been violence, and so we would ask and respect that that remain the case.”