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Gardai is ready to launch an investigation after a large protest in Dublin city center.
Around 1,000 people marched down Grafton Street in the capital to protest against current public health guidelines.
The march started at Custom House Quay and made its way through the south side business district around 4pm this afternoon, Dublin Live reports.
Organized by the anti-vaccination group Health Freedom Ireland and Yellow Vest Ireland, the protesters walked to Grafton Street, where they held a sit-in.
Several speakers and musicians participated in the event.
Gardai said all those present left the protest without incident and no arrests were made.
They added that they do not play any role in sanctioning protests and that authorization is not required to carry out one, nor criminal sanction for individual attendance at the protest, “social distancing, use of masks in public areas and other public health guidelines.” .
Health Freedom Ireland said: “Our fundamental constitutional freedoms are eroding under the guise of a public health crisis.
“There is no evidence that a healthy population is required to wear masks, but these mandates set a dangerous precedent for future attacks on our freedom.”
Yellow Vest Ireland has called Dublin’s latest lockdown measures “unscientific and unsubstantiated”.
A Garda spokesperson said: “Gardaí attended the site of a protest today, Saturday 3 October 2020, which began at Custom House Quay, North Dock, Dublin, and concluded at Grafton Street, Dublin 2, where all those present they dispersed without incident.
“A Garda Síochána has no role in allowing or authorizing protest marches, no permission / authorization is required for such events.
“An objective of the Garda Síochána in relation to the protests is the prevention of any Violation of the Peace and to facilitate business continuity around the protest event.
“The Health Act of 1947 (Section 31A-Temporary Restrictions) (COVID-19) (No.5) Regulations 2020, as amended, is currently in effect and establishes criminal restrictions for individuals who organize certain events.
“A Garda Síochána will investigate the organization of this event.
“Individual attendance, social distancing, wearing of masks in public areas, and other similar public health guidelines are not criminal regulations.
“In support of COVID-19 public health guidelines and regulations, An Garda Síochána has adopted and will continue to adopt a graduated police response based on its tradition of consent policing.
“This has made Garda members participate, educate, encourage and, as a last resort, enforce.
“When possible infractions of the Public Health Regulations are identified, a file is sent to the Director of the Public Prosecutor’s Office to indicate how to proceed.
“The COVID-19 pandemic remains a public health crisis and An Garda Síochána continues to call on all citizens to comply with public health guidelines and regulations to continue saving lives.”
According to the latest figures from the Health Department, another 10 people have died from COVID-19, bringing the death toll here to 1,810.
8 of the 10 deaths reported today occurred before September 2020.
Health officials also announced 613 new cases of the coronavirus in Ireland today.
That brings the total number of cases in the country since the pandemic began to 37,668.
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