GARDAÍ BELIEVE a high visibility anti-drugs operation is at the centre of unrest in a suburb in Dublin’s south inner city.
A woman was wounded in the neck yesterday at Dolphin House flats complex when another woman attacked her using a key as a weapon.
Tensions in the area have been rising because gardaí have prevented drug users from other parts of Dublin entering the flats to buy heroin and cocaine in recent weeks. Large sections of the community have been supportive of the Garda patrolling, which is designed to tackle the long-running drug dealing problem in the area.
However, those involved in the drugs trade locally are unhappy and are trying to intimidate residents who are supporting the gardaí.
Informed sources said the victim and alleged attacker in yesterday’s incident are both local women.
One of the women had an argument with the 16-year-old daughter of the other woman, which led to the attack.
The row is believed to be linked to the drugs issue in the area.
The injured woman was taken to hospital for treatment but her injuries are not serious.
“It was more of a bad scrape than a stabbing,” said one Garda source.
Up to 20 cars were badly damaged in the area on Saturday night. Vehicles were scratched, had tyres slashed and had acid poured over them.
Graffiti also appeared referring to some community gardaí working locally. Gardaí believe teenagers working for local drug dealers were responsible.
A hoax bomb, allegedly planted to intimidate residents, was examined and declared safe by the army bomb-disposal unit on Monday night.
The hoax pipe-bomb had been placed outside a community centre in Dolphin’s Barn, where a meeting to discuss intimidation, drug-dealing and anti-social behaviour had just got under way.
The entire Dolphin House housing complex had to be evacuated while the device was examined. A Garda spokeswoman said a caller made it known there was a device at the community centre and the Army was called in to investigate.
In a statement the Army said a disposal team was requested and that it had arrived at the scene at 9.10pm.
“A controlled explosion was carried out. The bomb disposal officer declared a hoax and all-clear at 9.40pm.
“The remains of the hoax were handed over to gardaí at the scene for investigation into the incident.”
Gardaí from Kevin Street were meeting with residents in Dolphin House yesterday to discuss the situation.
Callers to radio stations yesterday – who had been at Monday night’s meeting – said the hoax device had been placed there to “intimidate” residents who, concerned about anti-social behaviour, have sought an increased Garda presence.
“They [those behind the alleged intimidation] are hitting back at the residents because the Garda have been here 24 hours a day,” said one woman, named only as Deirdre, who called RTÉ’s Liveline programme.
“I heard people were afraid to go to the meeting on Monday night because they’re watching who’d be going,” she said.
Another resident said a sustained increase in Garda resources was needed in the area to tackle the issues.
He said the hoax bomb was a new low. “In all my years as a community activist in the Rialto area, that was the worst ever. It is an attack on the entire community.” He said people were afraid to talk out about events.