Wednesday 28 October 2026Compiled from published reports. Every claim links to its source.

Ireland Crime

Every case followed from the first report to the sentence, or to where the reporting stopped.

Case No. 5404Public order offence (clashes with gardaí) · Co. Dublin · 19 Jul 2024

Man arrested after three gardaí injured in Coolock clashes

On Friday 19 July 2024, around 1,000 people gathered outside the former Crown Paints premises in Dublin 17, a site earmarked for asylum seekers, and a public order incident followed on the Malahide Road that evening in which three gardaí were injured. A man in his 20s was arrested at the scene and taken to a Garda station on public order offences, and the Irish Times reported on 20 July that he had been released without charge. By 22 July, two of the three injured gardaí had returned to work, a fourth consecutive fire had broken out at the site on 21 July, and 32 people had been arrested and 22 charged in connection with the Coolock protests.

  1. Reportednot reported
  2. Arrested20 Jul
    3 reports
  3. Charged
  4. In court
  5. Verdict
  6. Sentenced
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
What happened
  • Three gardaí were injured in clashes with protesters, and one was taken to hospital for facial injuries after being hit in the forehead by a rock.
  • A female garda new to the job was struck in the arm by a rock, and another garda was struck in the head by a golf ball.
  • One injured garda was transferred to Beaumont Hospital and treated for minor concussion.
When
The clashes took place on Friday evening, 19 July 2024, around 6pm.
Where
A planned gathering took place outside the former Crown Paints premises in Dublin 17, and the public order incident occurred on the Malahide Road in Coolock.
Cause
The site was earmarked for accommodation for asylum seekers, and the clashes followed a fire at the premises for the second night in a row.
Weapon
Protesters threw rocks, concrete blocks and a golf ball at gardaí and public order personnel.
Other details
  • Gardaí used shields, incapacitant spray and an ASP baton during the response, and gardaí say the planned gathering passed off peacefully.
  • A fire broke out at the former Crown Paints site on 21 July, the fourth consecutive night of fires, and several Dublin Fire Brigade units attended.
  • A section of the Malahide Road was closed for a period and has since reopened, and gardaí said significant disinformation about events at the location is circulating.
  • Minister for Justice Helen McEntee condemned the scenes, and the three injured gardaí are recovering and have been offered welfare supports.
Investigation
  • A man in his 20s was arrested at the scene for public order offences and taken to a Garda station in Dublin.
  • As of 22 July, 32 people had been arrested and 22 charged in connection with the Coolock protests, and gardaí had identified people who scaled a wall at the site and live-streamed themselves setting a fire.
Charges
The Irish Times reported on 20 July that the man arrested at the scene had been released without charge, and investigations are ongoing.
53 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatThree gardaí were injured during the incident. (dublinlive.ie)
  • whatOne garda was taken to hospital for treatment of facial injuries. (dublinlive.ie)
  • whatThree gardaí were injured following clashes with protesters. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatOne injured garda was taken to hospital after being hit in the forehead by a rock. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatScuffles broke out and public order gardaí moved in on the crowd, using shields and pepper spray. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatThree gardaí were injured in the disturbance, and one was taken to hospital for treatment for facial injuries. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatTwo of three injured gardaí have returned to work (dublinlive.ie)
  • whatThe injured gardaí were struck with rocks and a golf ball (dublinlive.ie)
  • whatOne officer was transferred to Beaumont Hospital and treated for minor concussion (dublinlive.ie)
  • whatAnother garda was struck with a golf ball in the head (dublinlive.ie)
  • whatA female officer new to the job was struck in the arm with a rock (dublinlive.ie)
  • whatA fourth fire broke out at the Crown Paints site, the fourth consecutive night (dublinlive.ie)
  • whatThe people who set the fire live-streamed themselves doing so (dublinlive.ie)
  • whatThe Crown Paints building is to be renovated to accommodate over 500 International Protection Applicants (dublinlive.ie)
  • whatGardaí from all over Dublin and the Public Order Unit were drafted in and used pepper spray (dublinlive.ie)
  • whatProtesters clashed with uniformed gardaí and members of the Public Order Unit. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatProtesters threw rocks and concrete blocks at public order personnel near the former Crown Paints site. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatGardaí were subjected to verbal and physical abuse. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatThree gardaí were injured, one of them hospitalised with facial injuries. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whereThe gathering took place outside the former Crown Paints premises in Dublin 17. (dublinlive.ie)
  • whereA public order incident occurred on the Malahide Road after the demonstration. (dublinlive.ie, irishmirror.ie)
  • whereThe clashes took place at a former paint factory in north Dublin earmarked for international protection applicants. (irishtimes.com)
  • whereThe incident took place on the Malahide Road in Coolock. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whereThe gathering took place outside the former Crown Paints premises in Dublin 17, which is earmarked for housing asylum seekers. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whereSeveral units of the Dublin Fire Brigade attended the latest blaze (dublinlive.ie)
  • whereA planned public gathering took place outside the former Crown Paints premises in Dublin 17. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whereA section of the Malahide Road was closed for a period and has since reopened. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whenThe clashes took place on Friday evening. (dublinlive.ie)
  • whenThe public order incident happened on Friday evening. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whenAs many as 1,000 people are believed to have gathered at the site around 6pm on Friday. (irishmirror.ie)
  • causeThe former Crown Paints site was earmarked for the accommodation of asylum seekers. (dublinlive.ie)
  • causeThe clashes occurred after a fire broke out at the premises for the second night in a row. (irishmirror.ie)
  • investigationInvestigations into this and other related incidents are ongoing. (dublinlive.ie)
  • investigationA man in his twenties was arrested at the scene and has since been released without charge. (irishtimes.com, irishmirror.ie)
  • investigationInvestigations are ongoing. (irishtimes.com, irishmirror.ie)
  • investigationGardaí identified the people who scaled the wall at the former Crown Paints site (dublinlive.ie)
  • investigationA total of 32 people have been arrested in connection with the Coolock protests (dublinlive.ie)
  • investigationOne man aged in his 20s was arrested for public order offences and brought to a Garda station in Dublin. (irishmirror.ie)
  • investigationGardaí say investigations into this and related offences are ongoing. (irishmirror.ie)
  • chargeOne man in his 20s was arrested and taken to a Garda station in Dublin for public order offences. (dublinlive.ie)
  • otherThe planned gathering was said by gardaí to have passed off peacefully. (dublinlive.ie)
  • otherGardaí were subjected to verbal and physical abuse, including rocks, concrete bricks and other objects being thrown at them. (dublinlive.ie, irishmirror.ie)
  • otherGardaí used incapacitant spray and the ASP baton during the response. (dublinlive.ie)
  • otherA small fire broke out at the same location during the incident and was contained by Dublin Fire Brigade. (dublinlive.ie)
  • otherA section of the Malahide Road in Coolock was closed for a period and has since fully reopened. (dublinlive.ie)
  • otherGardaí said there is a significant degree of disinformation and inaccuracy circulating about events at the location. (dublinlive.ie)
  • otherAnother fire broke out at the former Crown Paints factory on Malahide Road after an anti-immigration protest on Friday night. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherMinister for Justice Helen McEntee condemned the scenes in Coolock. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherAround 1,000 people attended the gathering before the incident. (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherGardaí used incapacitant spray and the ASP baton. (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherThe three injured gardaí are recovering and have been offered welfare supports. (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherSinn Féin president Mary Lou McDonald pressed Taoiseach Simon Harris over engagement with the Coolock community (dublinlive.ie)
  • otherGardaí used incapacitant spray and an ASP baton. (irishmirror.ie)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 23 Jul2024
    Arrestedirishmirror.ie, first report
    Man arrested as three gardaí injured in Coolock clashes following fire

    Reports a Friday public order incident in Coolock after a demonstration at the former Crown Paints site, with one man arrested and three gardaí injured. The article gives the day only as 'Friday'; the 2024-07-19 date is taken from the 20 Jul 2024 dateline.

    suspect, 20s, malevictimvictimvictim
  2. 22 Jul2024
    Otherdublinlive.ie, follow-up
    Garda officers injured during Coolock clashes return to work

    Provides details on how the three injured gardaí were hurt (rock to head, golf ball to head, rock to arm), confirms two are back at work, reports a fourth consecutive night of fires at the Crown Paints site, and gives arrest/charge totals (32 arrested, 22 charged).

    victim, malevictim, malevictim, female
  3. 20 Jul2024
    Arrestedirishmirror.ie, follow-up
    Gardai injured in Coolock 'recovering' as government urged to engage with locals

    Adds that the three injured gardaí are recovering, that the man arrested at the scene was released without charge, that around 1,000 people attended the earlier gathering, and that the clashes followed a fire at the former Crown Paints premises. Reports Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald urging the government to engage with residents.

    suspect, 20s, malevictim
  4. 20 Jul2024
    Otheririshtimes.com, follow-up
    Three gardaí injured and one man arrested after further unrest following Coolock protests

    Adds that one injured garda was hospitalised after being hit by a rock, that the arrested man was released without charge, and that the Minister for Justice condemned the events.

    victimvictimvictimsuspect, twenties, male
  5. 20 Jul2024
    Arresteddublinlive.ie, follow-up
    Garda hospitalised and man arrested following Coolock disorder

    Adds the location outside the former Crown Paints premises, the cause (the site is earmarked for asylum seekers), the objects thrown at gardaí, the use of incapacitant spray and the ASP baton, a small fire attended by Dublin Fire Brigade, the road reopening, and a garda spokeswoman's statement that disinformation is circulating.

    victimsuspect, 20s, male