Organised and masked members of this year's May Day protest in Dublin used drunken people at the front of their march to help break down a Garda cordon, a court heard yesterday. Gardaí gave the evidence during the trial of two men charged with public order offences arising out of the protest.
Mr Conor Lynch (23), Tybroughney, Piltown, Co Kilkenny, and Mr David McNamara (24), Ashfield, Old Portmarnock, Dublin, both deny breach of the peace. Mr Lynch also denies disobeying a Garda instruction to leave the area.
The case was part heard yesterday in Dublin District Court and was adjourned until next Wednesday for the showing of a Garda video shot on the day and for evidence of arresting officers.
The court heard the protest moved from O'Connell Street to Navan Road. Along the way, officers noted drunken activity and by the time it reached the Ashtown Roundabout, where the Garda line was in place, it had become tense.
Bottles and rocks were thrown at gardaí who had formed a barrier to prevent protesters getting into the Phoenix Park and Farmleigh House where EU heads of state were gathered for the accession of new states ceremonies. Gardaí were also placed at this point because there was a heliport inside Ashtown Gate.
The Assistant Commissioner, Mr Al McHugh, then a chief superintendent, observed men in black ski masks using flagpoles to drive a wedge in the Garda line.
They broke through the line and Chief Supt John Kelly ordered the crowd to disperse. He saw some protesters urinate ifront of officers. A woman garda was hit. He was concerned that masked men were pushing into drunk people at the front and there was a danger that if the crowd broke forward they might fall and be crushed. After the line broke, he ordered the public order unit to move forward.
Garda Michael Kearney said when the protest reached Kempton Park estate, he heard a man with a loud hailer say: "Any one who wants conflict, move forward to the front now."
At that, 30-40 people with ski-masks formed a block. A lawyer for both men said they wished to dissociate themselves from the "outrageous" behaviour on that day.
The case resumes on September 29th.