Residents in the Dorset Street area of Dublin city are to hold a demonstration near Croke Park on Saturday ahead of Coldplay’s concert to highlight antisocial behaviour associated with alleged brothels in the area.
Chairman of Dublin North Central Fianna Fáil Brian Mohan said the group of residents will hold demonstrations before upcoming, high profile events including Coldplay’s gig at Croke Park on Saturday, the Leinster senior football final next week and U2’s concert on July 22nd.
Demonstrators have held a number of protests in recent weeks as they allege two massage parlours in the area are operating as brothels while a third business, which has since closed, was also a front for prostitution.
Mr Mohan said the group plan to up stage a “sit down protest” to block Dorset Street on the night of the U2 concert on what will be a busy night in the area.
“We reckon there are as many as nine premises on Dorset Street that are operating as brothels,” he said.
“Residents are fed up to the back teeth with the kind of characters that are frequenting the brothels. Last week, a young boy saw a man having a sexual act performed on him outside one of these premises. Children should not have to be exposed to things like that,” he said.
“There is a shop owner who shares a back yard with one of these premises and there are used condoms strewn everywhere,” he said.
Mr Mohan said gardaí are “hamstrung by legislation” that prevents them from shutting down alleged brothels.
“Come the U2 concerts we are going to block Dorset Street because residents are fed up with the antisocial behaviour that is associated with brothels in the area,” he said.
“The back streets are the playgrounds for kids growing up in the inner city area and they are seeing disgusting behaviour by people who don’t respect the area,” he said.
Mr Mohan said residents are also concerned about the welfare of the women he says are working in the alleged brothels.
“We’re hoping the guards crack down and can bring some normality back to the area,” he said.
A spokesman for the Garda Press Office did not confirm whether brothels are operating in the area or if an investigation is taking place.