The violent scenes witnessed at a site earmarked for asylum seekers in Co Wicklow provide further worrying evidence of malign and manipulative forces bubbling below the surface of Irish society.
Gardaí came under attack outside Newtownmountkennedy on Thursday night amid attempts to ensure contractors could carry out work at a former health service facility.
Protests have been ongoing at the site for some time and the Garda Public Order Unit was deployed.
Commissioner Drew Harris, no stranger to dealing with serious public disorder from his years in the PSNI, said there was an attempt to burn an outhouse and officers were attacked with rubble and stones.
The most serious and alarming incident saw a full-sized axe used to smash the windows of a patrol car.
The events will inevitably feed competing narratives around the often-toxic issue of immigration on social media. Protesters accuse gardaí of being heavy-handed, while authorities insist they have an obligation to protect those conducting lawful business. Politicians, mindful of an election around the corner, do not always play the constructive role required.
As with other areas where accommodation is being found for the growing numbers of people seeking ‘international protection’ in Ireland, there will be a range of views within local communities.
The right to protest is a legitimate part of that debate and should be facilitated where possible.
However, as taoiseach and Wicklow TD Simon Harris forcefully stated yesterday, it cannot be a peaceful protest if you are armed with an axe, setting fire to property or assaulting members of An Garda Síochána.
Likewise, people cannot be prevented from entering their property or carrying out their legitimate work.
The scenes in Co Wicklow are sadly becoming a regular occurrence in the Republic, while foreign nationals living in and contributing to communities north of the border frequently also face harassment or intimidation.
Justice minister Helen McEntee has said she believes some of those attending protests are not locals and are intent on sparking confrontation.
It is undoubtedly the case that malevolent elements on the far right are intent on sowing division and adept at stirring up tensions by spreading misinformation online.
Malevolent elements on the far right are intent on sowing division and adept at stirring up tensions by spreading misinformation on social media
Regular communication with communities is crucial to explain government policies and allay concerns, and transparency will help prevent false rumours spread by venomous voices gaining ground.
Ireland is by any standard a wealthy country with long experience of emigration and has legal and moral obligations to assist those fleeing war or persecution.
What is beyond any debate, however, is that violence from any quarter is completely unacceptable and those found guilty of involvement at any location should face the full force of the justice system.
