CHAOTIC SCENES | 

Armed gardaí at Wexford estate as masked men armed with bats and bars brawl

A group of young, mostly masked men were observed making their way into the area, armed with steel bats and iron bars.

Wexford People

Today at 11:19

Yesterday saw chaotic and frightening scenes in a Wexford town housing estate, as masked men armed with all manner of weapons brawled on the street before armed gardaí carrying riot shields, detectives and uniformed officers arrived to quell the unrest.

Children were sent scarpering from the playground and residents ran for the cover of their homes in Belvedere Grove shortly after 5.30pm as a dispute broke out between two groups of men.

A group of young, mostly masked men were observed making their way into the area, armed with steel bats and iron bars. Video footage widely circulated online shows the gang chasing another male through the street, passing through a playground with young children sent running in fear.

Eventually a stand off ensued with one man, armed with an iron bar, hurling abuse across the green at the larger group, all in broad daylight with local children playing nearby.

Within half an hour, gardaí began to arrive in numbers. Locals watched on as the Garda Armed Response Unit gathered around one particular house. They were confronted by a male who had been involved in the earlier melee and video footage shows him hurling abuse at gardaí and willing them “sher (sic) shoot then, go on!”

Eventually, gardaí managed to arrest the man involved, aged in his 30s, and he was brought to Wexford Garda Station. He is now due before the courts.

“Gardaí received reports of a male or several males outside on the street with a weapon of some description,” a garda source confirmed. “The Armed Support Unit lads were called in then as a precaution, which is standard practice when any weapons are involved.

“A full investigation into the matter is ongoing. We’re currently working to try to establish what sparked this incident, but it can be hard to get cooperation in cases like this at times from the parties involved.

“We are aware that footage of the incident is circulating online, but that footage can’t always be used in court. I would ask anyone with information or any witnesses to get in touch with us at Wexford Garda Station.”

There was a palpable anger among local residents, seemingly sick of anti-social behaviour and those responsible. “Get them out of here,” gardaí were told in some of the video footage circulating.

Locals have suggested that there has been issues ongoing for some time, with reports of drug-dealing and drug-taking taking place in what is, otherwise, a quiet neighbourhood.

The garda source said he was aware of growing tensions.

“We are aware of certain issues there in the past,” he said. “There’s been investigations into other issues involving some of the people potentially involved here. We’ve had some extra patrols and that, but we would urge anyone in the area to contact gardaí immediately if they see anything of concern going on.”

Exacerbating the public anger arising from yesterday’s incident were reports that suggest that a young child may have been hurt during the course of the violent scenes, either having been knocked over at the playground or having fallen while trying to get away from the masked gang.

“Something has to be done,” one frustrated resident said. “There are people trying to explain to their children why there are police with assault rifles out in the street. It’s not easy.

“This area has nothing but good people in it who look after their own. What’s happening here is totally unacceptable and has to be dealt with as harshly as possible.”

Another suggested that, rather than people focusing on problems with violence on the streets of the capital, they should look closer to home.

“Local TDs and councillors are going on about how unsafe Dublin is. Maybe their eyes should be on their own doorstep,” they said.

“People feel very nervous up here at times. These people are hanging around. There are issues around drug dealing and drug taking and something needs to be done.”