In November last year, businesses were looted and trams torched in Dublin city centre after children were attacked outside a city centre creche.
Last month, balaclava-wearing demonstrators threw projectiles at police at the proposed site of an asylum facility in Coolock in Dublin.
In June, masked demonstrators gathered outside the family home of Simon Harris, the Taoiseach, to protest against his government’s immigration policies. Mr Harris has refused to move to move to an official state residence, where he could be better protected, citing concerns about uprooting his family.
Irish far-Right groups travelled to Belfast, Northern Ireland, before riots broke out there on Saturday. Some of those travelling to a rally outside Belfast City Hall, which was organised online, were part of the “Coolock Says No” protest.
Four people were arrested and three police officers injured in the clashes at the rally, which was held after the Southport stabbings.
The Belfast Telegraph reported that the loyalist UDA in south Belfast and Carrickfergus had encouraged members to “mask up” and attend.
Far-Right protesters from the Republic of Ireland, some wrapped in the Irish tricolour, stood alongside hardline unionists, who waved the British flag. They were later seen drinking in a loyalist bar in the working class, inner-city area of Sandy Row. Sources told the Belfast Telegraph the Irish far-Right received a “heroes’ welcome” in the pub.
‘Repugnant to everything the Irish flag represents’
On Sunday, the Taoiseach expressed disgust at those “flying the Irish Tricolour whilst attacking police and spouting racism”. After holding talks with Michelle O’Neill, the First Minister of Northern Ireland, he said: “This is repugnant to everything the Irish flag represents.”
Irish police and the Police Service of Northern Ireland are working together on an investigation into the riots in Belfast, which saw businesses attacked and one set on fire.
Liam Kelly, the Police Federation for Northern Ireland chairman, said: “Our teams showed professionalism throughout in the face of such hate-filled racism and far-Right thuggery.
“This is not who we are. This is not the Belfast that has made great progress. Hate has no place on our streets, and it has to stop before it causes further damage or results in innocent people being hurt by the baying mob.”
The BBC’s Belfast offices were in lockdown on Monday “to ensure staff safety” ahead of an anti-immigration protest in the city centre.
Earlier, four men were remanded in custody after being accused of taking part in riots over the weekend.