Speaking on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland programme An Garda Síochána’s acting deputy commissioner Paul Cleary said the violence was “unacceptable” and there would be a relentless pursuit of those responsible.
“We know that even though people may have been wearing hoods or masks, we still have the ability to identify them and bring them before the courts, and we will pursue that relentlessly,” he said.
The protest had been attended by peaceful protestors, he said, but there were also youths on horses and scramblers and “violent thugs who were there purely to incite violence and promote fear”.
Officers were able to “contain the violence and restore order” within two and a half hours, he said.
“Gardai will always support and facilitate people right to peaceful protest but what we witnessed last night went beyond that,” he said.
“It was a violent riot driven by thugs intent on violence, and it wasn’t just an attack on Gardai, it was an attack on community safety, and we won’t tolerate that.”
