Dublin clamping company Control Plus was accused of intimidation yesterday by a clamped motorist who was surrounded by seven clamping cars and 16 traffic controllers to prevent him driving away.
Mr Niki Potterton had removed a clamp from his jeep and was trying to drive away when seven clamping cars, two Garda squad cars and two gardaí on horseback surrounded him.
"It was very intimidating and humiliating. I don't see how they had a right to block me like a criminal" said Mr Potterton.
He was carrying out contract work on Middle Abbey Street at lunchtime when he discovered his jeep had been clamped.
"I was parked in a loading bay for 25 minutes. I have a goods vehicle tax disc and commercial insurance so I had a right to park there" he told The Irish Times.
Mr Potterton saw the clamp hadn't been fitted properly so he jacked up the jeep, took off the clamped wheel, removed the clamp from the wheel and put the wheel back on the car.
"Within minutes, seven clamper cars double-parked around me and 16 men surrounded me" he said. When gardaí arrived, Mr Potterton likened the scene "to a Garda drugs raid".
Mr Potterton's car was taken away to the city pound at New Wapping Street, where he paid a €160 fine to retrieve it.
The managing director of Control Plus, Mr Neil Cunningham, denied any claim of a clamping error last night.
"I don't believe that is the case. Cars must be commercially taxed to have permission to park in a loading bay. If a car is clamped it is an offence to interfere with the clamp. Nobody is entitled to remove it."
Mr Cunningham said their policy in such situations was to call the Garda but "we can get other crews on site if we feel it's necessary".
He said Control Plus was carrying out a "full investigation" into the incident.
No arrests were made by gardaí but they are examining CCTV footage of the scene.