Dublin, Ireland

There were violent scenes at Fitzgibbon Street this morning as members of the public forcibly ejected the gardai who had been staging a sit-in occupation in direct contravention of a High Court injunction directing them to vacate the station by 7 am. When the 45 police officers failed to comply a citizen squad armed with baseball bats and wearing helmets broke down the doors and stormed the building. Tear gas was used to flush out the protesting gardai who resisted bitterly. Two members of the citizen squad were treated for minor injuries. 43 of the protesters were hospitalised. Four are in critical condition.

Organisers reported no difficulty in finding volunteers to throw the recalcitrant police officers out.