New water cannon ‘put the fear of God into troublemakers’Stronger pepper spray than 2023 was a ‘game-changer’Tactical movements to arrest agitators also cited as key factor
Gardaí block protesters near the Citywest Hotel in Saggart earlier this week. Photo: Niall Carson/PA
Over the course of two nights this week outside the Citywest complex in Saggart, frontline gardaí fended off a barrage of attacks from rioters intent on causing mayhem.
What began as a protest over the alleged sexual assault of a child at the site soon descended into violence with the demonstration infiltrated by thugs seizing the opportunity to attack gardaí.