Irish police intervened on Saturday to end the blockade of the country's main oil refinery, as protests against rising fuel prices paralyzed several strategic infrastructures. The government deemed the mobilization worrying, while a senior minister described it as a "very dangerous economic moment."
Protesters, angered by a more than 20% increase in diesel prices since the start of the Israeli-American war against Iran, deployed tractors and trucks to block the Whitegate refinery, the country's only oil refinery. Simultaneously, two ports, an oil terminal, and several major roads in the capital, Dublin, were disrupted.
The consequences were immediate: hundreds of gas stations ran out of fuel, raising concerns about the continuity of essential services, particularly emergency services. Authorities fear a prolonged impact on energy supplies if the situation persists.
Faced with the scale of the blockade, law enforcement carried out targeted operations to clear access. At least one protester was arrested, while others were pushed back. Specialized equipment was deployed to move the heavy vehicles obstructing the refinery entrance, according to images broadcast by the public broadcaster RTÉ.
Police also released a video showing the partial resumption of operations, with several tanker trucks accessing the refinery. Despite this progress, the situation remains tense, with authorities calling for the lifting of blockades to prevent a worsening of the country's energy and economic crisis.
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