Garda website crashes after publishing images of ‘persons of interest’ in Dublin riots probe

An Garda Síochána has published CCTV images of 99 ‘persons of interest’ in the investigation.

The riots occurred in Dublin city centre last year on 23 November and resulted in 66 premises and places of business suffering criminal damage and several vehicles being destroyed by fire.

13 members of An Garda Síochána were also injured.

"The public disorder incident separately and cumulatively involved alleged offences of riot, violent disorder, arson, criminal damage, assault, theft, public disorder, harassment and intimidation," Gardaí have said.

As the one year anniversary of the riots approaches, An Garda Síochána has issued an update.

We continue to investigate the public disorder incident of Nov 2023. We have published CCTV images of 99 ‘Persons of Interest’ on https://t.co/eX25d8kdQc. We are requesting assistance in identifying these individuals so they can be ruled “in our out” of the investigative process. pic.twitter.com/PvtPNgxhQc

— Garda Info (@gardainfo) November 19, 2024

It says that an investigation team of over 50 Garda members and 8 contract staff is continuing to investigate the "large scale public disorder incident".

The Garda update reads:

"The investigation team is also progressing all matters currently before the courts, books of evidence, disclosure and trial preparation.

"Over 17,000 hours of CCTV footage has been lawfully retrieved by An Garda Síochána. CCTV continues be reviewed and analysed by Garda members and contract staff both in terms of progressing matters currently before the courts and ongoing progression of the investigation.

"This analysis has identified a further 99 ‘persons of interest’. To progress the criminal investigative process, An Garda Síochána needs to identify each of these ‘persons of interest’ and interview each to either rule each individual ‘in or out’ of the investigative process."

An Garda Síochána is now requesting the assistance of the general public in identifying these 99 ‘persons of interest’ and has published CCTV images of these people on the Garda website.

"Members of the public can provide information/nominate identification for any of the 99 ‘persons of interest’ through the Garda website. Members of the public can do so confidentiality if they so wish," Gardaí said.

"An Garda Síochána would encourage any person who identifies themselves as a ‘person of interest’ from the published images to make immediate contact with the Garda investigation team at Store Street Garda Station."

The images have attracted such a "high volume of traffic" to the Garda website that it has since crashed.

https://t.co/mjQGLQiQCj is currently experiencing a high volume of traffic. Visitors may experience delays in accessing the site. https://t.co/osmSaLAxer

— Garda Info (@gardainfo) November 19, 2024

"Garda.ie is currently experiencing a high volume of traffic. Visitors may experience delays in accessing the site," a Garda Twitter post reads.

The investigation team at Store Street Garda Station can be contacted by telephone at 01-6668000 or via email at store.street.public@garda.ie.

Any member of the public can also provide confidential information to the Garda Investigation team by contacting the Garda Confidential Phone number 1800 666 111."

Main image via Sam Boal/Rollingnews.ie