Shocking footage has emerged of a fight breaking out in broad daylight between workmen and pedestrians on a street in Navan town.
The video of the brawl has since gone viral on social media and shows two men appearing to have a confrontation with two builders before it turned violent.
The two men lashed out at the builders with a shovel, and one swinging a hammer - but they didn't seem to expect such a fightback from the construction workers.
The violent incident took place on Trimgate Street in Navan, Co Meath, where construction work was taking place on the side of the road.
A three-minute clip shows two pedestrians walking down the street before they move a barrier on the footpath and attempt to walk through the building site area.
The two workmen on the site appear to tell the men not to enter before the men become confrontational and one throws a large piece of piping at the workmen.
The workmen remain standing at the other end of the site until one of the pedestrians grabs a broom and approaches them.
One of the builders then pushes him back and the man drops the broom before picking up a shovel - but is quickly pulled to the ground by the builder.
The man's associate then joins in the brawl and also picks up a shovel but he is wrestled by the two workmen. The first man gets up off the ground, grabs a hammer and charges at one of the workmen swinging the object at him.
The second workman then swings the shovel around and appears to hit the man wielding the hammer on the head with a shovel.
At this point onlookers approach the site and appear to intervene to break the fight up and the rest of the clip shows a heated exchange of words.
Navan independent councillor Alan Lawes called the footage "disgraceful" and said that the builders "rightly defended themselves".
Speaking to The Irish Mirror he said: "The workmen were just trying to get on with their work and unfortunately these guys decided to have a go. In fairness to the builders, they defended themselves, that’s the way it looks."
He continued: "They rightly defended themselves because these guys thought they could just attack anybody and abuse anybody.
"They should be safe doing their job. They had the place fenced off and they were trying to do their job.
"It really is disgraceful kind of behaviour and I hope at least the CCTV footage is clear enough and I’d imagine the gardai will be able to identify these guys from the footage and take the appropriate action."
Cllr Lawes said that there has been a rise in similar violent incidents and antisocial behaviour in Navan but there aren't enough Gardai in the area to respond.
"It’s got so bad on the streets here in Navan," he said. "I’m not saying it’s terrible and it’s a no-go area but what we’re facing here is a rise in antisocial behaviour, a rise in population and no rise in garda numbers."
He added: "Will it take an American tourist to be attacked in Navan to get the Justice Minister in Navan to make the appropriate response and get more Garda boots on the streets of Meath?"
A garda spokesperson confirmed to the Irish Mirror that "no formal complaint has been made to An Garda Síochána at this time".
