Protesters against the planned Love Ulster parade in Dublin threw missiles and tore down safety barriers in O'Connell Street this afternoon as the city's main thoroughfare descended into chaos when youths faced down lines of gardaí in riot gear.
Dozens of gardaí were deployed amid a hail of rocks, glasses, wood and other implements. A number of people were arrested and several ambulances were on the scene.
From around 11am, several hundred people protesting against the planned march by unionists gathered at the south end of Parnell Square and Upper O'Connell Street. Many carried placards commemorating people killed by loyalist violence in the the north or in the Dublin and Monaghan bombings of 1974.
Some present wore tricolours around their shoulders and wore Celtic football shirts. A number also covered their faces with scarves to avoid identification. A woman wearing a navy Garda jacket took video footage of the anti-unionist protesters, some of whom told an ireland.com reporter they were members of the Irish Republican Socialist Party (IRSP), the political wing of the INLA.
Violent scenes began when a few of the republican protesters began throwing implements, including pieces of wood and, in one case, a pint glass.
They chanted pro-IRA slogans at gardaí and used abusive and threatening language to officers, reporters and photographers.
A Dublin fire brigade unit and a number of Garda vehicles came under a hail of bricks and debris which appeared to have been taken from the roadwork sites on the street. Crash barriers and steel fencing erected around the O'Connell Street improvement works were pulled to the ground and pieces of piping and other building site debris were used as missiles.
Gardaí in riot gear were quickly deployed and formed a line across O'Connell Street, gradually pushing the rioters back towards the centre of the street. Almost all businesses and shops were shuttered within a short time.
Around 70 people engaged in a sit-down protest at the GPO half way down the street as the scene desdended into chaos. A fire was lit near the Spire monument and a number people have been taken to hospital, including at least four gardaí.
The riots later moved to the south side of the city, around Dawson Street and Kildare Street, near Leinster House and cars were set alight. Garda baton charges disperesed the rioters who forced north again on Westmoreland Street, D'Dolier Street and the south Quays.
Participants in the unionist parade were kept away from the planned route and remained at the top of Parnell Square out of sight of the republican protesters. The sound of marching bands beating drums could be heard from the north end of Parnell Square.
After around two-and-half hours the march was abadonned and participants went home.
Around 300 people including seven marching bands had travelled from Northern Ireland for the parade. Seven coaches filled with marchers and representatives of the group Families Acting for Innocent Relatives (FAIR) had arrived with a Garda escort shortly before 12.30pm.
Republican Sinn Féin had organised a protest against today's march, but it appeared most of those involved in the violence were youths unconnected with any political party. Garda special branch officers on the scene indicated they did not believe any senior republicans were involved but that the riots had nonetheless been organised.
Members of RSF were due to hold a wreath-laying ceremony at the memorial for the 33 victims of the 1974 Dublin-Monaghan bombings on Talbot Street.
A spokeswoman for the party said this gesture would "highlight the fact that there is no hierarchy in suffering", and he called on "all true republicans to oppose the loyalist march". She added: "In their progress through O'Connell Street, they will pass by Sackville Place, where two CIÉ busmen were killed by loyalist no-warning bombs in December 1972. Will Fair pause at that spot and pay their respects?"
The Love Ulster Parade, aimed to highlight the plight of victims of republican violence and expose Government "double standards" on the peace process.
It was due to proceed down O'Connell Street and D'Olier Street, past Trinity College and on to Leinster House, where a rally was to be addressed by DUP MP Jeffrey Donaldson, deputy leader of the Ulster Unionist party Danny Kennedy, Sonia Copeland of Women Raising Unionist Concerns (WRUC), and Fair spokesman William Frazer.
People injured or bereaved by republican paramilitary violence were among the marchers.