Tensions high in Wexford as armed gardaí called to deal with fall-out from violent Main Street assault

TENSIONS were running extremely high in Wexford town over the weekend following a horrific attack on a teenager on South Main Street in broad daylight while shoppers went about their business.

In widely circulated video footage, two men can be seen kicking and holding the young man (18) on the ground, while subjecting him to a flurry of blows and screaming a torrent of abuse at him all while shocked onlookers scream: “Get off him will you?” and beep car horns.

The main assailant then screams at his downed and bloody opponent: “Don’t you ever give me cheek!”

All of this transpired at 4.30 p.m. on Friday afternoon, while the town was busy with shoppers and school children.

The alleged attackers, a father (40s) and his 18 year-old son, were stopped and questioned by gardaí, but ultimately walked away from the scene, while the young man was taken to hospital where he received treatment for swelling and bruising to his face.

According to garda sources, these violent scenes arose from another scuffle between the two teenagers back in January and on Friday a verbal exchange between the two ensued before the violence erupted.

The people of Wexford were appalled as the footage of the latest in a string of violent incidents in the town centre circulated online and tensions were running high into Saturday evening as a crowd arrived at a house in the town to seek retribution from the attackers.

Further footage circulated of a group of males confronting another man at his front door, who was allegedly brandishing some kind of knife.

Gardaí were called to the scene and chaos ensued. Armed Support Unit Officers were in attendance and gardaí were forced to deploy pepper spray to keep the baying crowd away from the man they arrested at the scene.

Labour councillor George Lawlor received a call from a concerned resident of the housing estate, asking him to try and de-escalate tensions.

“I was asked to go up and try bring some calm to the situation,” he said. “I spoke with a family member of the victim of the assault on the Main Street. They were understandably incensed.”

Cllr Lawlor himself was frustrated and was of the opinion that gardaí were standing back for fear of having a case taken to the Garda Ombudsman (GSOC).

“Personally, I think GSOC needs to be scrapped,” he said. “It’s absolutely preventing decent gardaí from going about their business in an efficient manner.

“I spoke to a garda at the scene. I told him, this guy needs to be arrested. He replied that an investigation was ongoing, to which I said that footage of the attack is being widely circulated.

“At that point he quoted GSOC to me. He said he wasn’t going to act and risk having a case before GSOC, which is a ridiculous situation to be in.”

With tensions growing, more senior garda members arrived at the scene before the man was arrested and taken from the house into a Garda van.

As they brought him out, the growing crowd made attempts to get at him and gardaí were forced to deploy pepper spray to keep people back.

Gardaí later confirmed that the man and his teenage son were both in custody and were due before the courts on charges of affray and assault causing harm today (Monday).

Both the gardaí and local representatives are now appealing for calm while the case goes through the legal system.

Wexford Garda Superintendent Jarlath Duffy urged people to work with gardaí and allow them to do their jobs.

“I would appeal for calm,” he said. “I’m aware of a number of persons and groups working on social media calling for action to be taken in relation to these incidents and for people to take the law into their own hands.

“I would ask these people to desist. They will only exacerbate the issue. If anyone has criminal complaints or concerns to raise, we’re happy to talk to them and all matters will be investigated fully.”

Meanwhile, Cllr George Lawlor also sought to quell growing tensions.

“I fully understand the frustration and anger of the victim’s family,” he said. “But now is the time for cool heads and calm. Equally, I would call on the system to serve this family to ensure that justice is done and seen to be done.”

The Labour councillor is also calling for “radical action” to tackle anti-social behaviour around Wexford’s Main Street.

“I would suggest that we need to start imposing barring orders for certain individuals entering our Main Street area,” he said. “We need to outline the serious problems we’re having to judges. These people are intent on creating havoc and we absolutely have to take action.”