This convicted gangland criminal has become involved in anti-immigration protests in north Dublin.
And sources have told Dublin Live that far right elements are spreading rumours about immigrants in the Finglas area – in bid to stoke up people’s anger and recruit more supporters to their cause. "It is all part of the far right’s plan,” one source said last night. "Finglas is right out of their play book.”
But sources said they were surprised by the involvement in protests by Wayne Bradley – a well known criminal in the area. Bradley, 43, is understood to have become involved in protests outside Finglas Garda station, and even posted on social media using the hashtag Housetheirish – a call for Irish people to be given housing before refugees and other immigrants.
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And Bradley, who was jailed for nine years more than a decade ago for his role in a botched €900,000 armed heist with feared mob boss Eamonn “the Don” Dunne, also posted on social media that he and others in the community had come together to protect local women from foreign men.
“The men of Finglas and surrounding areas came together to protect the women and children from unvetted refugee men,” he wrote on Facebook. He later added: “Today’s protest has to be peaceful. A show in numbers. There will be women and children at this so everyone stay calm.”
Tensions started rising in the area over the weekend when false claims started circulating on social media that a local woman had been brutally gang raped by five asylum seekers early on Saturday morning. Sources in the area said they were surprised at Bradley’s involvement in the protests – as he has never been interested in political issues before.
Bradley posted a video online of him attending a protest at the local Garda station– which was addressed by firebrand hard right activist Graham Carey. Carey, who is also from Finglas, was in Garda custody last night – after he was arrested at his home by armed detectives from the Special Branch.
It’s understood Carey, 39 – who once protested outside the home of Taoiseach Leo Varadkar – has been under the spotlight of Special Branch for months because of his activities, He was being held under legislation that allows gardai to quiz him for up to three days.
Earlier this week, Carey took to his Facebook account to call for gardai to leave Finglas – or else face the wrath of the people. He shouted: “I’m gonna say - do what has to be done lads. And I’m gonna sit back and fold me f***ing arms and watch.
“They’re gonna go through that station. If you don’t get the f*** out by your own will. That’s what they’re gonna do and, no matter whether I’m there or not, they’re going to be there.
“And they have it in their head to protect their own f******* children, to protect their daughters, to protect their mothers from dirty f******* rapists, that’s what we’re doing. Now f*** the Garda, f*** the army, f*** the judges f*** the politicians, f*** them all”.
Carey’s was ranting after the claims emerged online that five foreign men had kidnapped and raped a local woman on Friday morning. The rumour spread like wildfire – and gardai were yesterday forced to stress that they were bogus.
Instead, it’s understood there is only one suspected rapist – and he is a white Irishman. Gardai appealed for information about the attack yesterday – and dismissed the rumours.
The woman was attacked near Cappagh Road at around 1.30am last Friday. Gardai appealed for a taxi driver who picked up a fare from a white man and white woman at around 1.30am on that morning.
They said both passengers were driven from a location in the south inner city and taken to Cappagh Road. “The passengers in the vehicle are described as being a white woman, aged in her 20s and a white man, also aged in his 20s,” a garda spokesman said.
He added: “The woman had blonde hair and was wearing high boots, a pink blazer and a black jacket. The man was of average height and build and was wearing a red top with blue jeans.” The driver or anyone with information is asked to contact Finglas Garda Station on 01 6667500.
Officers said no suspect had been arrested yet – but added: “An Garda Siochana is aware of a significant volume of misinformation and disinformation in circulation with regards to this ongoing investigation. For clarity, Gardaí are following a definite line of enquiry and are not looking for anyone else at this time.”
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