One arrest as protestors tear down 'hostile' barriers along Grand Canal

Protesters have torn down fences erected to stop people from pitching tents along the Grand Canal.

Around 200 protesters gathered in Portobello in Dublin on Thursday evening, July 18, to call on Waterways Ireland to remove the barriers and restore public access to the canal banks.

A coalition of groups, including the Liberties-Rialto branch of the Community Action Tenants Union (CATU), United Against Racism and People Before Profit, had organised a public meeting at Portobello Plaza.

"Hostile architecture makes our streets less safe and contributes to an atmosphere of fear and division, which is in turn exploited by fascist elements and their centre-right enablers," CATU Liberties-Rialto posted to social media.

"The root of violence is deprivation. Depriving us of our canal does not make us safer."

After a number of speeches were made, it appears that a small group of the protesters proceeded to move along the canal banks and removed the fences erected by Waterways Ireland after the removal of tented encampments.

According to a report by RTÉ's Ailbhe Conneely, about a kilometre of fencing was taken down before gardaí arrived at the scene.

"One man in his 20s was arrested in connection with this incident and taken to a Garda Station in Dublin City Centre," a statement from gardaí said.

He has since been released without charge.

More than 360 tents have been removed from the Grand Canal since May at a cost of €145,000 to Waterways Ireland.