Police clear Irish fuel protesters from several locations

BBC:

Fuel protesters have been removed from a number of sites in the Republic of Ireland by police.

Protesters were moved in an operation by gardaí (Irish police) from O’Connell Street in Dublin, the M50 motorway near the city and from Galway port.

A protest is still blocking the N1 southbound near Dundalk – part of the main route between Dublin and Northern Ireland – as well as other roads including the M7.

Demonstrators have been blocking fuel distribution sites and many major motorways and roads in a protest over soaring fuel costs following the US-Israel war with Iran.

Shortly after 03:30 gardaí asked people inside tractors and trailers in O’Connell Street to leave the area, all of whom did so peacefully.

About 200 uniformed gardaí, the public order unit and mounted unit surrounded O’Connell Street, while its water unit patrolled the River Liffey below and a Garda helicopter flew overhead.

A number of trucks and tractors left the area before the operation began, while several others later returned to their vehicles and then drove away under Garda escort.

An operation to end a blockade of Galway docks began later in the morning.

Gardaí said it was “to ensure critical supplies of fuel to maintain critical emergency public services, including ambulance and fire services”.

Demonstrators had formed a barricade on the bridge leading to the port terminal.

It was dismantled and protesters were directed to leave.

Most did so peacefully, although some were resistant.