Site earmarked for asylum seekers hit by fire again
It is the third night in a row that the former Crown Paints factory has been on fire
- Published
Firefighters in Dublin have extinguished another fire at a site in Coolock that was being renovated to accommodate asylum seekers.
Saturday was the third night in a row that the former Crown Paints factory on the Malahide Road in the city was on fire.
On Saturday, Dublin Fire Brigade was called to the site.
Two units tackled the blaze and An Garda Síochána (Irish police) also attended.
The north side of the Malahide Road was closed off.
There have been a series of protests and also incidents of disorder at the site in recent days.
On Friday, riot police were deployed and An Garda Síochána said officers were "subjected to both verbal and physical abuse including rocks, concrete bricks and other objects being thrown at them".
As this intensified, gardaí said they were "required to use force to defend themselves while continuing to adopt a graduated approach to policing, with enforcement as a last resort."
Three officers were injured and one was taken to hospital for treatment for facial injuries - all three are recovering and receiving welfare support.
What has been happening at Coolock?
The site at Coolock in north Dublin was being renovated to become accommodation for asylum seekers.
Work had been due to begin on the Malahide Road site during the week.
On Monday protestors gathered at the site after machinery and pallets were set alight causing a large fire.
More than 200 gardaí were deployed.
Three Garda cars were damaged, one of which was set on fire.
It said pepper spray was used by police as a security guard and a number of gardaí were injured during clashes with protesters.
Petrol bombs and fireworks were thrown, mattresses were set on fire damaging a JCB and fires were lit on the roads during the disturbances.
Gardaí described the disturbances as a public order incident and the road was closed for a period.
Twenty-one people were arrested and charged, 15 of whom appeared in court on Monday and six on Tuesday afternoon.