While the foundational story of the modern Irish state is one of throwing off British oppression, Dublin has been quick to request the loan of water cannon from a United Kingdom police force.
The Police Service of Northern Ireland, one of 43 police forces in the United Kingdom has responded to a request for mutual aid from the Republic of Ireland and has delivered two water cannons. The high-pressure devices are truck-mounted and operated by police forces to pacify protests and riots.
Given the appliances are not, conceptually, unlike a militarised fire engine they are also useful for putting out rioters’ fires while subduing unrest.
The Belfast Telegraph reports while the two water cannon were provided on loan from the United Kingdom, if they are deployed against protests in Dublin they will be driven by officers from the Republic of Ireland’s own police force, the…
