Gardaí now believe they have identified two-thirds of the 99 “persons of interest” they want to speak to about the Dublin riots last year and whose images they shared with the public.
Of the people featured in the photographs, some 67 have been identified, subject to confirmation, and their images removed from the collection posted on the Garda website last Tuesday.
A statement from Garda headquarters on Sunday afternoon said 11 images of “persons of interest” had been removed in the previous 24 hours following identification. Garda sources said the response from the public had been “overwhelming”, with a large volume of people using an online portal to nominate the names for those in the images.
“An Garda Síochána is continuing the process of validating nominations for all 67 ‘persons of interest’ whose images have now been removed from the public gallery and progressing these investigations,” the Garda said.
However, gardaí were “not confirming at this time the role of any of these individuals” in the events of November 23rd in Dublin city centre last year. It should also “not be presumed that a nomination/ identification means criminal involvement in these events”.
While gardaí were continuing the process of “validating” the identities of the 67 “persons of interest” whose images have already been removed, they were also continuing to request assistance in identifying the remaining 32.
The goal of sharing the images was to rule a person of interest “in or out” and once names had been nominated, and a working thesis for the identity of a person was being checked, their images were removed from the website.
Gardaí have so far arrested and charged 57 people with crimes related to the riots, with those suspects having been convicted, or still facing, a total of almost 150 charges. To date, 14 of the suspects have been convicted. Further charges were now expected arising from the images of the other 99 “persons of interest” being released last week.
The sharing of the photographs – making them so accessible and the scale of the collection – is unprecedented in the Republic. The Irish Council for Civil Liberties said it was concerned the right to the presumption of innocence, and a fair trial, of those depicted in the images could be compromised.
[ Dublin riots left north inner city youth ‘traumatised’ by the stigma of violenceOpens in new window ]
During the night of riots – prompted by the stabbing of children outside a north inner city school – some 28 vehicles were destroyed by arson or criminal damage.
That included a Luas tram being destroyed by fire; three Dublin Buses destroyed by fire; six Dublin Buses subject to criminal damage; 15 Garda vehicles subject to criminal damage; two Dublin Fire Brigade vehicles subject to criminal damage; and a private car destroyed by fire.
A total of 66 premises or places of business were subject to criminal damage and 13 members of An Garda Síochána were injured, including one who severed a toe.
