Eight arrested in Dublin in policing around planned anti-lockdown protest

Gardaí arrested eight people in Dublin on Sunday as part of a policing operation around a planned anti-lockdown protest in the city centre.

The arrests, made over the course of the afternoon, were of five men and one woman for breaches of the Health Act, and of two men in relation to public order incidents.

The Health Act 1947 (Section 31A-Temporary Restrictions) (Covid-19) (No.10) Regulations 2020 currently in force places restrictions on individuals organising certain outdoor events and on travelling beyond 5km except with a reasonable excuse.

A Garda spokeswoman said the pandemic remained a public health crisis, and "An Garda Síochána continues to appeal to all citizens to demonstrate personal and social responsibility to comply with public health guidelines and regulations, in particular essential journeys, in order to continue to save lives".