IRELAND: LOVE ULSTER RALLY PROVOKES DUBLIN RIOTS

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 DUBLIN 000226 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PTER PINR EI NIPP SUBJECT: IRELAND: LOVE ULSTER RALLY PROVOKES DUBLIN RIOTS ¶1. Summary. On February 25, Dublin witnessed rioting on a scale not seen in the city in over 30 years. No deaths or serious injuries were reported, however. The riots effectively canceled a planned march organized by Northern Ireland Unionist groups to lobby against what they perceive as government concessions to Irish nationalism/republicanism and to highlight the plight of victims of republican violence in the past. The violence, which mainly targeted police and a few hapless bystanders, lasted over three hours and saw 14 people (including eight police officers) hospitalized and property damage estimated at euro 50,000. Police arrested 42 people, 14 of whom were charged at a special sitting of Dublin District Court with arson, criminal damage, public order offenses and looting. Along with all political parties, Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams publicly condemned the violence. Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern blamed "thuggery and the gathering of what probably were different groups" for the violence, and said that it "did us harm and shamed the city and the country." End Summary. Riots in Dublin -------------- ¶2. On February 25, Dublin witnessed rioting on a scale not seen in the city in over 30 years. The riots were in response to, and caused the abandonment of, a march to commemorate the Unionist victims of terrorism in Northern Ireland. The march was organized by Love Ulster, a coalition of Unionist politicians, Orangemen and victims groups who lobby against what they perceive as government concessions to Irish nationalism/republicanism, and Families Acting for Innocent Relatives (FAIR),a support group for the relatives of victims of IRA terrorism. The Irish Police, who authorized the march, were aware that a demonstration against the march had been organized by Republican Sinn Fein (RSF), the political wing of the Continuity IRA (CIRA),but were unprepared for the scale of the violence that took place. Sinn Fein, the legal political party that operates in Northern Ireland and the Republic, is unconnected to the RSF. The violence, which continued for over three hours, saw 14 people (including eight police officers) hospitalized and property damage estimated at euro 50,000. ¶3. The violence began near the intersection of O'Connell Street and Parnell Square, a public renovation site that was the planned starting point for the march. As police officers lined the proposed route of the march, they came under attack from two petrol bombs, stones, bottles, billiard balls, golf balls, and readily available building materials hurled by the predominately young crowd. As word filtered to the mob that Unionist marchers were reassembling at the Irish Parliament, the rioting moved down O'Connell Street and crossed the Liffey River, leaving broken windows and looting in its wake. At least one attack on Asian shopworkers was blamed on the mob as it passed by. The Justice Minister Briefs Parliament -------------- ¶4. In a special session of Parliament, on February 28, Justice Minister Michael McDowell presented a report from the police on the riot that included a summary on how the force had prepared for the demonstration. McDowell praised the efforts of the police, blaming a "mob of cowardly thugs" for the violence, which had not been anticipated. Police intelligence gleaned prior to the march was that the only counter-demonstration planned was by the RSF, who intended to mount a peaceful sit-down protest involving a relatively small number of its members. McDowell stated that RSF declined to engage in a "meaningful manner" with the police and would not give any information on its counter-protest, describing their failure to cooperate "despicable." According to McDowell, 281 members of the force were deployed to the vicinity of the march with 67 members of the public order unit (riot squad) discreetly deployed nearby "in case events took an unexpected turn." Arrests -------------- ¶5. Police arrested 42 people, 14 of whom were charged at a special sitting of Dublin District Court on February 25 with arson, criminal damage, public order offenses and looting. Police are in the process of collecting thousands of video images of the rioters and will distribute them among intelligence officers to arrest and prosecute those involved. Condemnations -------------- ¶6. Along with all political parties, Sinn Fein (SF) President Gerry Adams publicly condemned Saturday's violence. Sean Crowe, an SF Member of Parliament from Dublin, also condemned the violence and called for the expulsion from SF of any member who might be convicted of involvement in the riots. According to press reports, SF previously had advised its supporters to avoid the march. The Prime Minister blamed "thuggery and the gathering of what probably were different groups" for the violence, and said that it "did us harm and shamed the city and the country." ¶7. Comment: Although the riots may not directly affect the Northern Ireland peace process, they will give ammunition to groups in Northern Ireland that portray the Republic of Ireland as intolerant of Northern Protestants and unionists. In Dublin, the event is largely seen as an embarrassment to the police and to the Republic's peaceful, tolerant, and prosperous image. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Visit Dublin's Classified Website: http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/dublin/index. cfm KENNY