Thirteen people from Dundalk, Co Louth, are due before Dundalk District Court on public order charges in the coming weeks. This follows what gardai describe as "a near riot" in the Co Louth town early yesterday morning.
Four gardai received minor injuries in the incident.
The fracas started after gardai were called to a traffic accident on Clanbrassil Street in the town centre at about 3 a.m. There was an allegation of an assault related to the accident.
While gardai were waiting for a tow truck for the vehicle involved in the accident, a crowd began to stone them and the situation, described by gardai at the scene, as "a near riot" developed.
Gardai withdrew and reinforcements were called from Dromad and Hackballscross Garda stations. Up to 12 gardai carrying riot shields and wearing protective headgear returned to the scene and broke up the crowd.
Garda Supt Michael Staunton has said it would be a gross exaggeration to say that 800 people were involved in the disturbances, though there would have been about 800 present at the Square adjacent to Clanbrassil Street at the time.
"But it is the number we would expect for the night that was in it, and given the number of clubs in the town centre," he said. There was a small number involved in the disturbances who were brought under control quickly, he added.
The chairman of Dundalk Urban District Council, Mr Seamus Keelan, said that security in the town centre is raised at each of the council's monthly meetings.
"It is an item on the agenda every month and is taken very seriously by the council. For over two years, we have wanted CCTV installed and a sub-committee has been set up involving the Chamber of Commerce and the gardai.
"We would hope it will be implemented as it would identify a small number of thugs involved in disturbances and, once they were identified and taken out of the system, it would alleviate the problem," he said.