'I've done my part, fellas,' an Irishman says as he ploughs his vehicle through the Russian embassy's gates.
On Monday, an Irish guy drove his truck through the gates of the Russian consulate in Dublin, eliciting plaudits from bystanders.
According to The Irish Times, Desmond Wisley, a businessman from County Leitrim in northern Ireland, was detained for criminal damage and remains in detention following the event. On Tuesday, he is scheduled to appear in court.
Around 1:30 p.m., video of the incident shows the back of a delivery truck smashing through the embassy's front gates to cheers of "Bravo" and "Good man" from protesters holding signs outside the gates. Nobody was harmed.
Wiley is seen exiting the truck and handing out flyers depicting what he claims are Russian atrocities in Ukraine.
"I did this to establish a safe corridor for the Russian ambassador to depart Ireland," he explained, referring to Yuri Filatov, who has served as ambassador since 2017.
"I want the bastard and his associates to leave this nation, this free country, and return to calling where there is no freedom," Wiley urged the tiny gathering in the tape, gesticulating toward the embassy.
"It's past time for us to take a stand," he concluded. "We're all snoozing on our couches, snug in our own homes, and we need to act."
"I am a working man, and this is my contribution for today, which I am pleased to have made."
Wiley then approaches a female Garda officer and shows her his flier explaining why he did it.
"Unfortunately, I have to arrest you now for reckless driving," she informed him.
As the officer uncuffs him, Wiley states, "I've done my part, lads." It's past time for Ireland to do so."
Initially, the Russian embassy claimed that Ireland had breached international law by allowing the incident to occur while law enforcement "stood idle."
"The embassy categorically condemns this criminal act of lunacy perpetrated against a peaceful diplomatic mission," an embassy official told The Irish Times. "The embassy regards this episode as a flagrant breach of article 22 of the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations."
"The occurrence is really concerning. No rational person, we believe, could accept such dumb and brutal acts," the spokeswoman stated.
The embassy took a more upbeat tone in a subsequent statement, expressing gratitude for the help provided by Irish authorities.
"We would like to tell you that the Garda has taken additional measures to protect the safety and security of the embassy and its staff," the embassy said.
"The embassy appreciates the Irish authorities' cooperation in this case."
On Monday night, law enforcement erected defensive barriers in front of the embassy. Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine 12 days ago, the embassy has been the subject of daily protests.
According to The Times, demonstrators have regularly thrown red paint at the embassy's entrance and spray-painted messages on the façade, including "Nazis," "Blood on your hands," and "F—k Russia."
Filatov accused Irish demonstrators of being "rough and particularly hostile" last week, according to The Times. He also accused Ireland of being on the front lines of "anti-Russian events" in the European Union.