Gardaí move to enforcement phase as fuel blockades target critical infrastructure

An Garda Síochána has warned fuel protesters they face arrest unless they immediately cease blockading critical infrastructure such as fuel depots and refineries.

Deputy Commissioner for Policing Operations Shawna Coxon said in a statement this morning that the situation had escalated beyond protest.

"These are no longer protests, they are blockades," she said.

Coxon said the blockades were putting at risk supplies of food, fuel, clean water and animal feed. "This is not tolerable and is against the law," she added.

Gardaí had spent two days engaging with protesters under the force's 4Es framework — Engage, Explain, Encourage and Enforce — warning demonstrators they were severely impacting emergency workers, hospital patients and other workers.

With those efforts having failed to secure free movement of traffic, the force said it was now moving to an enforcement phase against those targeting critical infrastructure.

Coxon said wilful obstruction of public roads is an offence under the Public Order Act and Road Traffic Acts, and warned protesters to "immediately cease blockades of such critical infrastructure or face the full rigours of the law".